An historical sketch of Los Angeles county, California. From the Spanish occupancy, by the founding of the mission San Gabriel Archangel, September 8, 1771, to July 4, 1876

i

N

GENEAL.C-. -OLUECTION

ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY

3 1833 01067 2191

AN

HISTOEICAL SKETCH

OF

LOS ANGELES COUNTY,
CALIFOENIA.

From the Spanish occupancy, by the Founding of the Mission San Gabriel
Archangel, September 8, 1771, to July 4, 187S.

JPUBLISHED BT

LOUIS LEWII^ & Co.,

^o. 14 Spring Street.

-i«o^<-

LOS ANGELES, CAL.:

MERROU PRESTING, RUuING AND BINDIKGl HOUSE.

1876.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1876, by

LOUIS LEWIN & Co.,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

1131956

INTEODUOTOEY

To t?ie Literary Committee of the Los Angeles Centennial Celebration :

Gentlemen : We, the Committee appointed by you to prepare an His-
torical Keview of Los Angeles City and County, from the earliest settlement to
the present time, have prepared, and present to you this sketch. The field has
Ijeen so extensive — embracing a period of more than a century — that we have
been necessarily forced to pass over the ground hastily, and no doubt have
omitted much of interest ; yet, so far as in our povrer lies, we have endeavored
to make the sketch v/orthy of the subject and of the occasion. Drawing our
information from many sources, some of it recorded, but much unrecorded,
narratives and personal reminiscences falling directly from the lips of
survivors of that older generation, now rapidly passing away — persons who
in recounting these tales of the past, may with pride, like ^neas, say "et
quorum pars magna fui," we have sifted and compared reports and dates,
nntil we believe the narrative will be found in the main correct.

If this sketch meet your approval and the approbation of the public,
and if it should be the instrument of rescuing from oblivion a portion of the
early history of our country, and, especially, if it may be the means of
adding only one more tie to the bond that makes us, of whatever blood or
kin, citizens of one common home, brothers by adoption, children of one
fatherland, we shall feel that our labor has beem amply repaid.

J. J. WARNER, )

BENJ. HAYES, [ Committee.

J. P. WIDNEY, )
Los Angeles, July 4th, 1876.

LOS ANGELES GOUI^TT

CENTENNIAL HISTORY.

CHAPTER I.

LOS AKGBLE3 COUNTY FBOM SEPTEMBEB 8tH, 1771, TO AUGUST, 1846

lOS ANGELES COUNTY includes within its present bounda-
ries the sites of three Roman Catholic Missions, which wero
founded in the following order, and named San Gabriel
l^'^^ Archangel, September 8th, 1771, San Juan Capistrano, in 1776,
' ^^-^ and San Fernando, in 1797. The Mission of San Gabriel was at
first planted on the margin of the San Gabriel River, some four or five miles
southeasterly from its present site. This river hud previously received the
name of " Temblores " (earthquakes), from the missionaries or the soldiers
who had traveled over the country from San Diego to Monterey. No exten-
sive or permanent improvements were made at that place, and it was not long
before its present site was selected. The Mission of San Juan Capistrano
was also at first located some miles northeasterly from the present location,
and at the foot of the mountain. The place of its first location is still known,
as is also that of San Gabriel, as La Mision Vieja (old Mission). The
founders of these missions, as well as those of all tlie twenty-one missions
established within the limits of the State of California, were natives of
Spain, and Friars of the Order of San Francisco, and w-ere sent to the field
of their labors by the College of San Fernando, in the City of Mexico, which
college belonged to the Franciscan Order of Friars.

The unbroken series of failures, which for more than one hundred and
fifty years attended the oft recurring attempts of the civil and military power
of New Spain, supplemented by a number of individual efforts by men of
wealth and power, to reduce the natives of Peninsular California to the
domination of Spain, to convert them to Christianity, to found colonies and
establish military posts among tlieui, a.s well as the barrenness of the country
itself, caused the Government of New Spain to abandon an enterprise which
was undertaken in«> 1534 by the conqueror of Mexico, Hernando Cortez, in
person.

6 LOS ANGELES COUNTY

While contemplaling -about 1690— its withdraTval from any further
effort for the reduction of California, the Government of New Spain sub-
mitted to the Society of Jesuits— an Order of the Roman Catholic Church —
proposals for the subjugation and conversion to Christianity of the natives,
and the consequent extension of Spanish authority over the people and
country of Peninsular California by that Society.

The proposals were accepted, and the first few missionaries (accompanied
by five soldiers and a comm.anding officer, lurnishad by the government),
sent forth by that Society, to accomplish a work which had alike baffled the
power of the Government of New Spaia and individual eiforts, landed on
the eastern shore of the Peninsula m 1697. In the space of forty-eight
years from the time the pioneers of this religious enterprise stepped upon
the shores of this sterile land, fourteen prosperous missions were established
throughout the Peninsula, and the whole Indian population, a small portion
of which, inhabiting its eastern shore, had sucdfessfuUy vathstood the attacks
of the .military forces of the Government of New Spain, were reduced to the
control of the Jesuit Misolonarles, and subjection to the Spanish power.

The succes.T which crowned the labors of tlie Jesuit Missionaries in
Peninsular California, stinnlated tho Franciscan Order of the Roman
Catholic Church in Mexico, to alLempt a like work along the shore of the
Pacific Ocean from the Peninsula northerly. This enterprise v/as approved
of and assisted by the Government of New Spain, and was also fostered and
encouraged by zealous Christians and philanthropists of Mexico, who
donated large sums of money and estates to aid in its prosecution.

The first expedition, sent to this new field of labor by the College of
San. Fernando, was in three detachments — tv/o of which were to proceed up
by land over the Peninsula, and the other, in three vessels, to go by water.
Each detachment was accompanied by a small military force, which force
numbered, in ail, four coiij.panie3. That portion of the expedition which
went by water, embarked at San Bias, and, after calling at Loreto, a penin-
sular port, sailed from thence for San Diego and Monterey. These vessels,
the San Carlos, the San Antonio, and the San Joseph, were the transports of
the detachment sent by water. Tvro of these vessels, called packet boats,
only reached San Diego ; the other, the San Joseph, was never heard from
after leaving Loreto. The San Antonio arrived at San Diego on the 11th of
April, and the San Carloi^ on the Ist of May, lIQd. The two detachments by
land reached San Diego, one May 14th, and the other July 1st, of the same
year. The land detachments brought two hundred head of neat cattle, a
number of horses and mares, sheep, goats, and hogs, with which to stock the
country they were on their way to subdue and occupy.

The Missionary Friars were under the control of a President, who
directed when and where a mission should be established, and designated
the Friar or Friars that should have charge of it. The President was ap-
pointed by the Principal cf the College, or Convent, of San Fernando, and
was himself a Friar, and came to California with the first expedition. He
had the general supervision of the missions, and changed the resident Friars
from mission to mission as his judgment dictated.

The commander of the military force vv'hicii accompanied these Mis-
sionaries was Caspar dc Portala, a captain of cavalry, who was appointed
Governor of California by the Viceroy cf New Spain, and he and his
successors for many years held the offices of Governor and Commanding
General of California.

It was ^ot contemplated, either by the Government of New Spain or
the Directory of the College of San Fernando, that the missions to be estab-
lished should remain permanently as missions, but that at the expiration ot
ten years from the founding of each and every mission, it should be con-
verted into a municipal organizotion, known as a Pueblo, and that the prop-
erty created and acquired by the mission, during the term of its continuance,
should vest in the inhabitants of the political organization. It soon became
evident, to both the ecclesiastic and political authorities, that at the end of the
ten years the neophytes of a mission — the converted Indians — would be in-
competent to form a political organization, or to rightly use and manage the
property accumulated by the mission ; and, consequently, no steps were taken

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. t

while California was subject to Spain, nor for more than fifty years after the
establishment of the first mission in Calfornia, to convert them into Pueblos.

In less than sixty years from the foundling of the Mission of San Gabriel,
the herds of neat cattle, bands of horses, -and flocks of sheep and goats, of the
three missions of this county, covered the major part of the land in Los
Angeles County, and all that part of San Bernardino County lying south and
west of the San Eernardino Mountain Range. The number of Indian con-
verts in these three missions was, in 1803, two thousand six hundred and
seventy-four. In 1831, when these missions had reached their highest pros-
perity, the number of neopiiytes was more than four thousands. By the labor
of the subjugated and converted Indians the missionaries planted orchards
and vineyards, and cultivated large fields of corn, wheat, barley, beans and
other food vegetables. As soon after the founding of a mission as its cir-
cumstances would permit, a large pile of buildings in the form of a quad-
rangle, composed in part of burnt brick, but chiefly of sun-dried ones, was
erected around a spacious court. A large and capacious church, which usu-
ally occupied one of the outer corners of the quadrangle, v^^as a necessary
and conspicuous part of the pile. In this massive building, covered with
red tile, was the habitation of the Friar, rooms for guests, and for the major-
domos and their families, hospital wards, store-houses and granaries, rooms
for the carding, spinning, and weaving of woolen fabrics, shops for black-
smiths, joiners and carpenters, saddlers, shoemakers, and soap-boilers, and
cellars for storing the product (wine and brandy) of the vineyards. Near
the habitation of the Friar, and in front of the large building, another build-
ing, of similar materials v/as placed and used as quarters for a small
number — about a corporal's guard — of soldiers, under command of a non-
commissioned officer, to hold the Indian neophytes in check, as well as to
protect the mission from the attacks of hostile Indians. The soldiers at each
mission also acted as couriers, carrying from mission to mission the corres-
pondence of the government officers and the Friars. These small detach-
ments of soldiers, which were stationed at each mission, were furnished by
one or tlie other of the military posts at San Diego or Santa Barbara, both of
which were military garrisons. At an early period in the history of San
Gabriel, a water-power mill, for grinding wheat, was constructed and put in
operation in front of and near the mission building. At a later period, a new
grist mill was built by the mission, and placed about two miles west of the
mission proper. This was also operated by water-power. The building in
which was placed this mill now forms a part of the residence of E. J. C.
Kewen, Esq. A water-power saw mill was also built by tliis mission, and
was located near the last mentioned grist mill. These were the only mills
made or, used in California, either for grinding or sawing, m which water
was the motive power, or in which a wheel was used, for more than half a
century after the founding of the first mission in continental California, la
these two grist mills the revolving mill stone was upon the upper end of a
vertical shaft, and tlie water-wheel upon the lower end, so that the revolution
of the stone was no more frequent than that of the water-wheel.

In 1831, the minister at San Gabriel, Friar Sanchez, aided and encouragefl
Wm. Wolfskill, Nathaniel Prior, Richard Laughlin, Samuel Prentice, and
George Yount (all Aniericans), to build a schooner at San Pedro, which was
employed, by the Americans nanied, in the hunting of sea otter. Tlie same
year, or in the preceding year. Friar Sanchez purchased a brio- which wa.s
employed in commerce between this coast and the ports of Mexico and
South America.

Of the products or manufactures of those missions, during the sovereignty
of Spain over California, very little was exported, being mostly consumed by
thoSe who belonged to the mission or by the inhabitants of the Town of Loa
Angeles, and the stock breeders in the country adjacent.

Such was the patience, the energy, the business capacity, and tact with
which the Friars controlled and mamiged the Indians, and tlie general affairs
of the missions, that in a few years, with some supplies which — while the
power of Spain was undisturbed in Mexico — were annually sent them from
the Port of San Bias, by tlieir Convent in th'? City of Mexico, their grana-
ries and storehouses were filled to overll'^wing, naa .'he intervening country,

« LOS ANGELES COUNTY

from mission to mission, was covered with live stock, and their shepherds
and herders were counted by hundreds. Althou.sjh in the aimual lists of
Btock and of agricultural products ma.de out by the Friars, the number was
much leas, it M'HS estimated by the.most competent judges that the number
of neat cattle belonging to t]ie three missions, in 1831, exceeded one hundred
thousand, with sheep and horse kind in full proportion.

After the independence of ^lexico, 1831, the discharged soldiers and
their offspring, who desired to obtain land upon wliich to breed cattle, began
to agitate the matter of the conversion of the missions into towns, and in
1824" the Mexican Congress enacted a law under which, in 1828, the Execu-
tive of the Mexican Government issued regulations for the disposal of the
public lands. The conversion of the missions into towns did not meet with
the approbation and hearty approval of the Fi-iars in charge of the missions,
and tlie transition was so slow, and attended \\ itii so mony obstacles, that only
the Mission of San" Juan Capistrano reached tlie conditfnn of being dressed
in the swaddling clothes of a political organization. Tlie control and manage-
ment of the neophytes, and the temporalities of the missions, were taken
from the Friars about 1835 and given to secular ofliccrs, called administra-
tors, who were appointed by the Governor of California.

When the Friars became convinced that the conversion of the missions
into towns was determined upon by the Mexican Government, tlie prudent
and economical management of the missions, which hitherto had been
the practice, became, during the last fevv- yeaiv in which they were under
their control, wasteful. Under !' .• I" ,■ uruc iinprovident management of the
secular officers, tlie personal ( ;:- ; ,;■ ir,i>sio)is rapidly diminished, and

those buildings, v^iiich had be.t; i-; >. >' n\ Vav loll and labor of thousands of
Indian converts, and which had so liciivily ta-;ed tlie powers of the Friars,
and had been their pride and tlieir L:iory, wei'c not long in giving evidence
of neglect. The artificial water courses, which liad been constructed under
the direction of the Friars, to conduct water to tlie gardens, orchards, fields,
anil vineyards, for irrigation, were neglected, tlieir )")anks broken and rendered
useless for the conveyance of water. The orchards and vinej^ards were left
without irrigation or proper cultivation. Groves of olives were barbarously
felled and converted iuto iirewood. Fruit orchards and vineyards were left
unprotected by fence from the inroads of cattle, until in 184G hardly a
vestige of the vines, which had covered scores of acres of land, was left
remaining. The orange orchard of San Gabriel, and a fragment of the
vineyard and olive grove of San Fernando, still remain, as living witnesses
of the energy and untiring industry of those z.ealous Friars who, coming
into a country full to overtiowing willi ignorant, savage barliarians, changed
them into patient, docile laborers, and in less than fifty years filled the
country with fruitfulness.

Subsequent to the establishment of the missions, and before the close of
that ceniuiy, the Spanish Government, acting through the commanding
officer of C;i!ii'or;iia, did, at different periods of time, grant four la.rge tracts
of laud lying In this county to four individuals. The area of these tracts
vras from"ten to tv,-enty, or more, square ler.giies each. They were granted to
the folloAviug pi'i'sous, who had come to Caiirornia as soldiers, and who had
been uiscliarged or retired from active ser\iee on account of their age or
other causes. ' The Niet(« Tract, embracing all the land betv.-eeu the Santa
Ana and San Gabriel Ili^-ers, and from the sea to and including some of the
hill laud on its norliieastern frontier, was granted by Governor Pedro Fages
to JIanuel Nieto, in 1784. Tiie Santiago de Santa Ana Tract, a large area
lying along the Santa Ana Piiver, on its easterly side, and extending from

hinds, was granted to Antonio
lying on tli..- left banlc of the
yo teeo, was granted liy Gov-
.gr;'.iit i.vas ivaliirined hy Gov-
ia VcL-dugo. Tlie San Pedro
of San l\(lro, vt'as granted to
December 31st, 1322.
' IIolTmau's Reports of Land
r erroneous. Tl\is i' Report of

tide Wi
Yorb;i
Los A,

Iter
in

• to a

Ju!-,

k-s 1

ud son

-, b'-io.

le

miles

i'hc S;
.;Atei

111

nli

_n,.

in the hiil

;:iael Tra-
; to the Ar

ern(u- i

•■''l

I'v) F

■''''f i? \ *

)t:i

0 Jose M;

Juun'j

'.• ''

■ Do

m';'' s'

'and

!;;o \

the eotiuir
'ieente Sol,

Ti!

Cases,'^

'"bi

,alLS
It so

of tiu'-
lUC of t

L

grant:

^;^'

t;dven fron
andoubtetl

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. f

Land Cases " says tlie grant to Antonio Yorba was made by Jos^ Figueroa
July 1st, 1810. The only Figueroa who held the office of Governor of Cali-
fornia, or who in the whole history of California issued grants of lands, was
General Jose Figueroa, who was appointed in April, 1833, and reached Mon-
terey, California — having come by water — in January, 1833. Consequently,
lie could not have made a grant of land in California in 1810. There is
much circumstancial testimony tending to show that both the Yorba and
Dominguez grants were made diu'iug the past century. Antonio Maria
Lugo, a prominent citizen of Los Angeles, giving testimony in the District
Court, at Los Angeles, in 1857, said his age was seventy-six years ; that he
remembei-ed the Pueblo of Los Angeles as early as 1785. That he had known
the Verdugo, or San Rafael Ranch, since 1790. That Verdugo had had his
ranch since 1784, and that it, "San Rafael," was the third oldest ranch in the
county — the Nietos and the Dominguez being the oldest. During the first
quarter of the present century, the Santiago de Santa Ana Ranch was uni-
versally known, among the people inhabiting this county, as one of the
oldest rauchos, and there are many good reasons for the belief that itii
founding was contemporary with that of San Rafael. There is no room to
doubt the statement that a grant of the Santiago de Santa Ana Tract, to Jose
Antonio Yorba, was made in 1810 by Jose Joaquin de Arrillaga, but in a
partition suit in the District Court, for this county, a few years ago, for the
partition of that tract of land among the heirs and claimants, testimony waa
introduced which showed that the original occupant of that tract was N.
Grijalva, who, as also his v.ife, died, leaving only two children, both daugh-
ters. That one of these daughters married Jose Antonio Yorba, and the
other Juan Pablo PevaUa, and it is far more probable that the former of
these two latter j>ersous obtained a new or coniirDied grant from Arrillaga,
in 1810, than that Grijalva should have established himself upon the tract
without having obtained a grant from the Governor. As Governor Rorica,
in 1798, issued to Jose Maria Verdugo a new or confirmatory grant of the
Tract of San Rafael, which had been granted to Verdugo by Governor Fages,
in 1784, so it is probable that the first title papers for San Pedro and Santiago
de Santa Ana had disapi»c:ired, or were not presented to the United States
Land Commissit)ns for California. In this pn,rtition suit the Court recog-
nized the claim of the Peraltas as descendants of the original proprietor of
the land. Don Manuel Dominguez, one of the present proprietors of the
San Pedro Ranch, states positively that the grant of that tract was made
in 1784.

The Friars abstained, and the owners of live stock were proliiliited by
the government, from killing any temale animals. This restraiuing policy
had the effect of rapidly iucreasing the live stock of the country. The indi-
viduals, to whom the before mentioned grants of land were made, rapidly
increased their live stock, so that before tlie termination of the first quarter
of the present century, their almost boundless lands were covered with cattle
and horses.

As early as 1825, the number of neat cattle and horse kind had increased
so much, that the pasturage of the country embraced in this county was
insufllcient for its sup[)ort, and that of the wild horses, of which there were
tens of thousands which had no claimant, and v.'hich in small bauds, each
under its male leader, roamed over their respective liaunts, consuming the
herbage, and enticing into their bands the hoi-ses and brood mares of the
stock breeders. To relieve themselves from these losses, the rancheros con-
structed large pens (corrals), with outspreading wings of long extent from
the doorway, into which the wild horses were d.riveu in large^ numbers and
slaughtered. At a later period, and when the number of neat cattle had
been somewhat lessened, the wild horses were driven into such pens and
reduced to domestication.

Tlie social and political history of this county, for the first half century
or more, from the founding of the missions, are alike barren of ^ly notice-
able event. In the ph^'^sical histoiy, the most remarkable was the occurrence
of an earthquake on the morning of the 8th ot December, 1813. This day
was the yearly feast day (la Puriauna) of tlie Catliolic Church, in commemo-
ration of the immaculate conception of the Virgin IMary. The earthquake

10 LOS ANGELES COUNTY

happened at the hour of the morning mass. The Church of the Mission of
San Juaft Capistrano, a large stone huilding, which liad heen huilt hut a few-
years (the roof of which was an arch, and of stone), in wliich were congregated
a hirge numher of the neophytes, was so severely sliaken tliat the roof, except
that portion over the transept, fell upon the worshipers, killing about thirty,
and injuring a much larger number.

In 1825, the rivers of this county were sc swollen that their beds, their
banks, and the adjoining lands were greatly changed. At the date of the
settlement of Los Angeles (^ity, a large portion of the country, from the cen-
tral part of the city to the tide water of the sea, through and over which the
Los Angeles River now finds its way to the ocean, was largely covered with
a forest, interspersed with tracts of marsh. From that time until 1825, it was
seldom, if in any year, that the river discharged, even during the rainy season,
its waters into the sea. Instead of having a river-way to the sea, the waters
spread o-^'er the country, filling the depressions in the surface, and forming-
lakes, ponds, and marshes. The river water, if any, that reached the ocean,
drained off from the land at so many places, and in such small volumes, that
no channel existed until the flood of 1825, which., by cutting a river-way ta
tide water, drained the m&rsh land and caused the forests to disappear.

The flood of 18-32 so changed the drainage, in tlie neighborhood of
Compton and the northeastern portion of the San Pedro Ranch, that a num-
ber of lakes and ponds, covering a large area of the latter ranch, lying north
and northwesterly from Wilmington, which to that date had been permanent^
becam-e dry in a few years thereafter. From 1825 until January, 18G7, the
San Gabriel and Los Angeles Rivers united at a jioint nort!:crly from the
dwelling house on the Cerritos Ranch, and flowing i^ast the liouse on the
west, emptied into the San Pedro estuary southwest of that dwelling house.
The San Gabriel River, in tlie Hood of 1867, left its bed at a point ]-ear v.iiere
it struck the northern line of the Ranchito, and cut a new water-way through
the central part of that ranch and the Santa Gertrudes and Aiumitos Ranchos
to the sea, east of the dwelling house on the latter ranch.

While statements respecting the existence of gold in the earth of Cali-
fornia, and its procurement therefrom have been )nade and published as
histcrica? facta, carrying back the date of the knowledge of the auriferous
character of this State as far as the time of the visit of Sir Francis Drake to
this coast, there is no evidence to be found, in the written or oral history of
the missions, the acts and correspondence of the civil or military oflicers, or
in the unwritten and traditional history of Upper C^alifornia, that the exist-
ence of gold, either v/ith ores or in its virgin state, was ever suspected by any
inhabitant of California previous to eighteen hundred and forty-one; and,
furthermore, there ia conclusive testimony that the first known grain of native
gold dust vms found upon or near the San Francisco Ranch, about forty-five
miles westerly from Los Angeles City, in the month of June, 1841. This dis-
covery consisted of grain gold fields — known as placer mines — and the
auriferous fields, discovered in that year, embraced the greater part of the
country drained by the Santa Clara River, from a point some fifteen or twenty
miles from ;,ti; juouth to its sources, and easterly beyond them to Mount San
Bernard in a.

The worliingc/f tlicse fields has been pursued intermittingly, more or less
successfully, 'Tom their discovery to the present time. The small supply of
water, available for hydraulic mining over this large field, is the cause why
it has not been more thoroughly worked. Althougii in no part of this ex-
tensive gold field have claims of great richness l^een found, a large number
have been, and some are yet, v/orked with remunerating results.

The discovery of this gold field was, in a tv/o-lbkl manner, accidental.
Sometime in the latter part of 1840, or tlic early part of 1841, a Mexican
mineralogist, Don Andres Castillerc, traveling from Los Angeles to Monterey,
while passing along the road over the Las Virgenes Rancho, saw and gathered
up some g;mall, wr.ter-worn mineralogical pebbles, known by Mexican placer
miners ps'teprnteie — a variety of pyrites— which he exhibited at the residence
of Don Jose Antonio de la Guerra y Noriega, in Santa Barbara, where he
was a guest, and stated, that wherever these pebbles were found in place, it
was a good indication of placer gold fields. A Mr. Francisco Lopez, also

CENTENNIAL HISTOKY. 11

known by the name of Cuso, a farmer and herdsman, living at the time upon
the Piru Rancho, was present, and heard the statement and saw the pebbles.
Not long after this incident, Mr. Lopez, in company with a fellow-herdsman,
was one day searching for strayed animals until their riding horses were
jaded. At a suitable place they dismounted, and picketing their horses that
they might rest and feed, Lopez busied himself in gathering a parcel of
wild onions, a bed of which was near at hand, to carry home for a mess of
greens. In pulling the onions from the ground he noticed a pebble, similar
to the one he had seen in the hands of Mr. Castillero, and remembering what
was then said about its being a sign of gold, he scooped up a handful of the
earth, which he had loosened by gathering the onions, and rubbing it in his
hand, found a grain of gold.

The news of 4;his discovery soon spread among the inhabitants, from
Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, and in a few weeks hundreds of people were
engaged in washing and winnowing the sands and earth of these gold fields.
The WTiter of this visited the mines within a few weeks from their discovery,
and from these mines was obtained the first parcel of California gold dust
received at the United States Mint in Philadelphia, and which was sent to
that mint hy the Hon. Abel Stearns, late of Los Angeles City. It vras sent
with Alfred Robinson, and went in a merciiant sailing siiip around Cape
Horn. A certificate of its deposit in the mint is in the possession of the
Society of California Pioneer::., in San Francisco.

Two parcels of placer gold— one from the New Mexican, and the other
from the Sonorian gold fields — were brought to Los Angeles in the Winter of
1833^, and were here sold and exported to foreign countries, which fact has
served to cloud the history of gold discovery in California.

The Spanish Government, acting upon the ground that the people over
whom it held sway, especially those of its subjects in America, were its
wards, or incompetent persons, unable to make suitable provision for them-
selves, assumed the attitude of guardian toward its subjects. It ordained
where and hov/ tliey should live. It established the wages of laborers, and
fixed the price of horses, cattle, and most commodities which were produced,
or bought and sold by the people.

In consonance vnth this jmncifAe, the Town [Pueblo] of Nuestra Ssnora
de Los Angeles, under and in conformity to an order of the then Governor of
California,"?helip8 dc Neve, dated ;'.t the Mission of San Gabriel, August
26th, 1781, was founded in a formal manner on the fourth of September of
the same year. The founders of the town numbered twelve adult males, all
heads of families. The surnames of the twelve settlers were Lara, Navarro,
Rosas, Mesa, Moreno, Rosas, Villavicencia, Banegas, Rodriguez, Camero,
Quiatero, and Rodriguez. These men had been soldiers at the Mission of
San Gabriel, and, although relieved or discharged from service, continued to
receive pay and rations from the Spanish Government. The total number of
souls comprising the settlement was forty -six. Tv/enty of these were chil-
dren under ten years of age. Of the twelve adult men, two Mx-re natives of
Spain, one a native of China, and the other nine of some one of the follov/ing
places : Sinaloa, Souora, and Lower California.

For the centre of the town a parallelogram, one hundred varas long and
seventy-five wide, was laid cut as a public square. Twelve house-lots, fronts
ing on tlie square, occupied three sides of it, and one-half of the remaining
side of seventy-five varas was destined for public buildings, and the other
half an open space. The location of the public squai'c would nearly corres-
pond to the following lines: The soutlieast corner of Upper Main and Mar-^
chessault streets for the southern or southeastern corner of the squiirc ; the
east line of Upper Main street, from the above named corner, one hundred
varas in a northerly direction, for the cast line of the square; the eastern lino
of New High street for the western line of the square; and the north jrn line
of lilarchessault street for the southern line of the square. At a short dis-
tance from the public square, and upon the alluvial bottom land of the river,
upon which the water of the river for irrigation could be easily conducted,
there were laid out thirty fields for cultivation. The fields contained forty
thousand square varas each, and were mostly laid out in the form of a square,
and separated from each other by narrow lanes. In accord with the paternal

1% L08 ANGELES COUNTY

idea of the Spanish Government, the head of each family was furnished
fronf the royal treasury with two oxen, two mules, two mares, two sheep,
two goats, two cows with one calf, one ass, and one hoe, and to the settlers
in common, the tools for a cart-maker. These articles, as well as the live
stock, were all charged to the individuals respectively, or to the community
at a price fixed by the Government, and the amount was to be deducted, in
small installments, from their pay.

As the government of California was a combination of military and
ecclesiastical powers, so the municipal government devised for the settlers
of Los Angeles was a compound of political and military government, in
which the latter largely predominated. All the municipal power was vested
in one officer, called Alcalde, who was appointed by the Governor — wlio was
himself the military commander of the couutry — or by a military officer who
commanded the military distilct iu which the town was situated. The terri-
tory of Upper California was divided into military districts corresponding
in number with the military posts, which were four, and the jurisdiction of
the commanding officer of the post extended over the district, and civil, as
well as military matters, came under his cognizance.

The adult males, and those over eighteen years, were enrolled, and were
subject to the performance of guard duty, both by day and night, at the guard
house, which was located on the public"square.

Notwithstanding that the laws of Spain, regarding the creation of town'
or municipal organizations, were both munificent and liberal, yet as the
organization of the municipal government of the Town of Los Angeles was
effected by military officers exclusively, and as all those who composed the
original settlers, as well as those who" for many years became settlers, had
been soldiers — trained and accustomed to military government and disci-

f)line — the evolution of the municipality from its military character, into a
ocal self-governing community within its own sphere of action, was slow
and tortuous. We'fiud a military officer, one vrhose jurisdiction was co-ex-
tensive with that of the commanding officer of the garrison of Santa Barbara,

Granting a house-lot, in the Town of Los Angeles, on the 23d of June, 1831.
'his lot, upon which the Pico House stands, was granted to Jose Antonio
Carrillo by his brother, Anastacio Carrillo, a military officer, who styled
himself Commissioner. The exclusive jurisdiction of the Alcalde, the chief
officer of Los Angeles, was extremely limited, even if in practice it was
known to exist. Cases of all kinds, except such as could be heard by eccle-
siastical authorities, both civil and criminal, and of trivial character, went
from the Alcalde and beyond the territorial jurisdiction of Los Angeles, to
be heard and determined by the military commandant of a garrison more
than a hundred miles distant.

The absence of municipal records for the first half century after the
founding of Los Angeles, of itself raises the presumption that tlie' municipal
officers exercised but little authority during that time. After the allotment
of house lots and fields for cultivation to Ihe original twelve settlers, there
does not appear to have been any record kept of the grants of either house
lots or farming lands until as late as 1836.

The system adopted by the Government for the formation of pueblos,
and the granting of buildiug lots and farming lands to settlers within the
limits of a pueblo, did not require a record of the grant. In conferring
upon a settler the right to acquire and occupy a lot upon which to build a
dwelling house and laud to cultivate, the Government did not absolutely
divest itself of its title to aad control over the soil. The settler v.-ho erected
a house upon a lot assigned to him, or fenced and cultivated a field whicli
had been set oS to him, did not become vested with the unconditional title
of ownership to either. If he, without justifiable cause, suttered his house
to remain unoccupied, or to fall into decay, or his field to remain unculti-
vated for two consecutive years, it became subject to denouncement by any
other person legally competent to take by grant, and the granting authori-
ties could and vrereby law required, upon a proper showing of the abandon-
ment, to grant the property to the informant, who then acquired the same
and no better rights than those possessed bv his predecessor.

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 18

Proof of the caution and circumspection necessary in collecting material
for history, and the value of suspicion when directed to dates, is well exem-
plified bv the following circumstance. We have before us a traced copy of
the original order of Governor Neve for the founding of the town of Los
Angeles. To this copy is attached the certificate of Sherman Day, U. S.
Surveyor General for California, that it is a true and correct copy of the
original document on file in his office. This document, as traced, bears date
of Mission of San Gobxxel, August 26th, 1788. Other evidence before us
fixed the date of the founding of Los Angeles in September, 1781. In an
examination for the discovery of this discrepancy, it was found that Gov.
ernor Neve was succeeded by Governor Fages on the 7th of September, 1783.
It was therefore conclusive that the scholar who executed this traced copy,
not only transformed Gabriel into the uncouth Gobxxel, but changed the
date of 1781 into 1788, and that the United States officer, a highly educated
gentleman, of experience and of probity, certified that a docum'ent with such
gross blunders of the tracer, was a true and correct copy.

The quietude which prevailed in the civil, military and ecclesiastical
government of California during the first half of a century after the advent of
the Franciscan Missionaries into California, and which was not disturbed by
the commotion in which the Government of New Spain was, during the lat-
ter half of that period involved, began to give way before questions aftecting
the inhabitants of California which were agitated in the latter part of the
third decade of the present century. With the exception of a slight ripple
which manifested itself in the Military District of Monterey previous to
1830, no act of insubordination had transpired up to that time. Even the
sovereignty of Spain, which was recognized without any attempt from any
quarter to dispute its right up to this time, was quietly laid aside by the
civil, military and ecclesiastical rulers on the 9th day of April, 1822, and
allegiance to the " Kingdom of the Empire of Mexico " was voluntarily and
peacefully assumed by the officers and those in authority, who, up to that
day, had sworn only by the King of Spain, and this same quietude still con-
tinued under the recognized sovereignty of Mexico, without any public dis-
turbance, until the latter part of 1831, when an insurrection broke forth in
the town of Los Angeles, which caused the spilling of the first blood shed
in civil strife in California. A large number of the people of Los Angeles
had, during the year 1831, assumed an attitude of hostility to the Alcalde,
who had put under arrest and placed in confinement some of the influential
citizens of the place. It was a matter of belief by the paople of Los
Angeles that what they looked upon as the arbitrary acts of the Alcalde
were inspired by the Governor and Military Commandant of the Territory,
Don Manuel Victoria, and in the latter part of November, he being on his
way from Monterey to the southern part of the Territory, accompanied by a
small military escort, they determined to rid themselves not only of their
Alcalde, but the country of its Governor. On the morning of the 5th of
December, 1831, the people having liberated those who had been imprisoned
by the Alcalde, and made a prisoner of the latter, armed themselves and
sallied forth to meet and oppose General Victoria. He was met a few miles
from town, when a conflict ensued, in which one of his officers. Captain R.
Pacheco— the father of ex-Governor Pacheco— and one of the attacking
partv, Don Jose Maria Abila, of Los Angeles, were killed. The General
received a sword wound from Abila before the latter was killed. The com-
batants separated immediately after these casualties. The General, leaving
Los Angeles to his right, repaired to San Gabriel Mission, where on the
following day he surrendered up his authority to the insurgents, who sent
him to San Diego, from which place he shortly after embarked for the coast
of Mexico.

For some time after the expulsion of General Victoria, Los .t\j3geles was
the seat of government of those who expelled him. The head of the gov-
ernment was General Jose Maria Echandia, who had been the predecessor
of Victoria. His jurisdiction, however, only extended over the southern part
of the territory. The people of the northern portion of the territory adhered
to the government of General Victoria, and sustained, as tlie rightful head of
the civil and military government of California, Captain Agustin V. Zamo-

14 LOS ANGELES COUNTY

rano, the military officer next iu rank to the General. This division was not
healed until General Figueroa reached California in 1833.

The Congress of Mexico erected the town of Los Angeles into a city in
1836, and shortly after appointed Carlos Antonio Carrillo, of Santa Barbara,
the civil Governor of California. Upon receiving the appointment of Gov-
ernor, the seat of government was establislied by d-overnor Carrillo in Los
Angeles, August, 1837. His authority, as Governor, was not recognized by
the people north of Santa Barbara, and after a 'few months he succumbed to
Governor Juan B. Alvarado, Avho had been acting as Governor from the 6th
of November, 1836.

After the adoption by Mexico of the centralized form of government,
and the transformation, under that government, of the States and Territories
into Departments, and the subdivision of the latter into Prefectures, Los
Angeles City was the seat of the Prefecture of the Southern District of Cal-
ifornia, from some time in 1839 to about the close of 1843, when that system
of government was abandoned. Tiburcio Tapia, a nativ-e of Los Angeles,
was the first Prefect, and held the office about one year, when he was suc-
ceeded by Santiago Arguello, who continued in office until July, 1843 , v/hen
Manuel Dominguez was appointed, and held the office until December of
that year. Mr. Dominguez was a member cf the convention that framed the
State Constitution, and still lives upon his San Perko Ranch.

In the Summer of 1835, a small body of men, natives of Sonora and
other Mexican States, having as leaders one Torres and Apalatey, collected
at the Los Nietos Ranch and marched into the Town of Los Angeles, for the
professed object of overthrowing the government of Figueroa and placing
Mr. Ijar at the head of affairs. They took and held the town a few hours,
when they betrayed their leaders, delivering them up to the regular authori-
ties, and then dispersed.

Some time in 1835, the paramour of a married woman, abeted by the
wife, murdered the husband while on his way from Los Angeles City to his
residence. The parties to the homicide vrere soon arrested and lodged m
prison. At that time there was no Court, or civil authority in California,
which was invested with pov/er to execute the sentence of death. In cases
In which the punishment was death, the record of thetrial was required to
be sent to Mexico for inspection and approval by superior criminal officers,
before the sentence could be executed. As this was attended with great
delay, and the means of keeping prisoners under sentence were inadequate
for their secure detention, the inhabitants of Los Angeles, after the trial had
taken place and their guilt fully established, demanded of the Alcalde the
surrender of these two prisoners, that they might be executed without any
further delay. Although the demand was not granted no efibrt was made by
the lawful authorities to prevent the execution of the demand. A body of
armed men took the two jDrisoners from their place of confinement, and they
were both publicly shot.

In April, 1838, a small body of men, under the command of Clemente
Espinosa, an ensign, was sent ironi Santa Barbara by Colonel Jose Maria
Villa, a partizan of Governor Alvarado and General Castro, to cspture cer-
tain persons suspected of being engaged in a plan to overthrow the govern-
ment of Alvarado, and replace Governor Carrillo in authority. The party
of Espinosa entered Los Angeles in the night, and camped on the open
space in front of the old Catholic Church. The inhabitants discovered upon
opening the doors of their dwellings on the following morning that the
town had been captured, or rather that it was then held by armed men from
abroad, who soon commenced a general search in the houses of the citizens
for the suspected persons. Quite a number w^ere arrested, among whom
were Jose Antonio Carrillo, a brother of the deposed Governor, Pio Pico,
Andres Pico and Gil Ybarra, the then Alcalde of Los Angeles, together with
about half a dozen more of the most prominent native citize^is of the place.
They were all taken north as prisoners of war. The only casualty which
occurred was the breaking of the arjn of J. J. Warner, by one of Espinosa's
men, inconsequence of his inability to inform them where Don PioPico
could be found, and his resistance to an order of arrest for refusing permission
to have his house searched for suspected persons.

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 15

In November, 1842, Commodore Thomas ap Catesby Jones, with hi3
ofEcial suite of the United States navy, paid an official and apologetical visit
to General Manuel Micheltorena, at Los Angeles. This interview grew out
of the capture of Monterey, the Capital of California, by Commodore Jones
on the 20th of the preceding month.

A bloodless battle, of two or three days' continuance, was fought in the
San Fernando valley in the month of February, 1845, between Governor
Micheltorena, at the head of the troops which accompanied him to Califor-
nia from Mexico, and General Jose Castro, at the head of citizens and resi-
dents of the southern part of California, who had been hastily collected and
armed to meet and oppose Micheltorena, v;ho was marching upon Los
Angeles from Monterey. The result of the battle was the surrender of
Micheltorena and his expulsion from California.

Upon the expulsion of Micheltorena Los Angeles again became the seat
of government, with Don Pio Pico as Governor, whose authority was recog-
nized throughout California until the occupation of the country by the
Americans, in 1846.

On the 7th of August, 1848, the American squadron, under Commodore
R. F. Stockton, anchored in the bay of San Pedro. Col. J. C. Fremont, at
the head of his command of volunteers, which had occupied San Diego in
the latter part of the preceding month, was then approaching Los Angeles
from San Diego. Commodore Stockton, upon anchoring at San Pedro,
landed four hundred men and some artillery. Having formed a junction
with the force under Fremont, he moved upon, and on the 15th of August
occupied Los Angeles City. Governor Pico and General Castro abandoned
the city a short time before its occupation by Commodore Stockton. The
Governor made his way, without discovery by the American forces, through
San Diego into Lower California, and thence crossed the Gulf and landed in
Sonora. General Castro, after disbanding the force under his command,
took the road, with a small number of adherents, for Sonora, over the Colo-
rado River route. Some little effort was made by the Americans to capture
both him and Governor Pico, 'out they made good their escape.

On the 23d of the following September, (Commodore Stockton and Col-
onel Fremont, having some time previous left Los Angeles for San Fran-
cisco), the quarters of the Americans under A. H. Gillespie, a Lieutenant of
Marines, who had been left by Stockton as Military Commandant at Los
Angeles, were attacked by Cervol Varelas, a native of Los Angeles, at the
head of a few of his countrymen. Three days thereafter the Hon. B. D.
Wilson, who had been placed in command of a few men at the Jarupa
Ranch, to protect the inhabitants of that section of country and their pro-
perty from Indian raids, and who had been ordered hy Gillespie to come to
his relief, was captured, together with his small command, at the Chino
Ranch, to which place he had repaired upon discovering that the march of
his small body of men was being threatened by the forces of Varelas and Diego
Sepulveda. In the meantime, and until the 80th of September, the siege of
Gillespie was continued, and seeing no way of raising the siege, after learn-
ing of the capture of Wilson's party, he signed articles of capitulation on
the 30th, and marching the garrison to San Pedro, embarked it on board an
American merchant ship lying there at anchor.

On the 6th of October, Captain Mervin, in the frigate Savannah, an-
chored at San Pedro. On the, following day he debarked, as also did the
force under Gillespie, and at the head of his marines and the men under
Gillespie took up his march for Los Angeles. His force amounted in all to
five hundred men. The insurgents at Los Angeles were not inactive during
this time. A force, with one small piece of artillery, was organized under
Jose Antonio Carrillo and Jose ]\Iaria Floves, and sent to check the approach
of Captain Mervin. Some slight skirmishing was done along the line of
march during the 7th, but on tlie 8th, after a spirited engagement which
lasted for an hour or more. Captain Mervin, who up to this time continued
his advance, becoming alarmed at the resistance which he encountered, and
the loss of men he was suliering, ordered a retreat, and reaching the shore of
San Pedro, immediately embarked his forces.

16 LOS AKGELES COUNTY

On the Ist. of November Commodore Stockton, who had returned to
San Pedro, lauded eight hundred men, for tha purpose of marching upon
and capturing Los Angeles. Instead, however, of taking up the line of
march for Los Angeles he re-embarked his forces, and, with the squadron,
sailed for San Diego.

On the 8lh of January, 1847, Commodore Stockton having been joined
at San Diego by General {^earny and his escort of dragons, with which
he had arrived at that pkce from New Mexico, reached the San Gabriel
River in his march upon Los Angeles from San Diego. The insurgents,^
under tlie command of Jose Maria Flores, who had attained to the rank of
General-in-Chief, occupying the right bank of the river, opposed the cross-
ing, but it was eftected without much loss on the part of the Americans, and
with but little on the part of the Caiifornians. On the following day the
American column, while on the march, was attacked by the forces of Flores.
This attack took place between the Laguna and the Mesa, some four or five
miles soutlieasterly from Los Angeles City, and is sometimes called the bat^
tie of the Laguna, and sometimes that of the Mesa. On the following day,
January 10th, Commodore Stockton and General Kearney entered the City
of Los Angeles. •

The insurgent force, under Flores, failing to make any impression upon
the Americans in their attack upon the marching column on the 9th, was
moved to San Pasqual, some five or six miles northeast of Los Angeles. On
the night of the 11th, at an early hour, General Flores, with forty or fifty
men, started for Sonora, going by the way of the San Gorgonio Pass and
the Colorado River.

Colonel Fremont had with him when he reached San Fernando, on the
11th of January, Jose Jesus Pico, a native Californian, a resident of Saa
Luis Obispo, a man of some prominence among his fellow countrymen, and
who had been captured as a spy and brought into San Luis Obispo by Colo-
nel Fremont's command, where he was tried and sentenced, by a court-mar-
tial, to be executed. The sentence was, however, remitted by Colonel Fre-
mont, and from that time onward Mr. Pico ever manifested a sincere desire
to advance the interests of Colonel Fremont.

The day after Commodore Stockton left San Diego, on his march upoD
Los Angeles, he sent a bearer of dispatches to Colonel Fremont, informing-
him of his departure, accompanied by General Kearney, irpm San Diego
for Los Angeles. The bearer of these dispatches left San Diego by water,
and landing at San Buenaventura, overtook Fremont and delivered to him
Commodore Stockton's dispatches before he entered San Fernando.

On the night of the 11th, at about midnight, Jose Jesus Pico came into
the camp of the Caiifornians, at San Pasqual, and gave them the informs^
tion that Colonel Fremont had reached San Fernando, and he urged their
leaders to open communications and enter into negotiations with Colonel
Fremont, instead of attempting to negotiate with Commodore Stockton.

General Andres Pico, who succeeded to the command upon the depart-
ure of Flores, instructed Francisco Rico and Francisco de la Guerra to
accompany Jose Jesus Pico on his return to San Fernando that same night,
and to have an interview with Colonel Fremont and learn from him his
views respecting negotiations. After having met Colonel Fremont at San
Fernando, Messrs. Rico and De la Guerra returned to San Pasqual early in the
morning of the 12th. Immediately after their return to tlie camp, Don Jose
Antonio Carrillo and Don Agustin Olverawere appointed and commissioned
by General Pico, to meet and negotiate terms of capitulation with commis-
sioners to be appointed by Colonel Fremont. General Pico immediately
broke up his camp at San Pasqual, and with his entire command accompa-
nied his commissioners to Providencia. Colonel Fremont with his com-
mand, also left San Fernando on Ihe morning of the 12th, and marched to
Cahuenga, some four or five miles from Pi'ovidencia. An interview took
place between Colonel Fremont and some two or three of the leading men
of General Pico's party, on the road, about midway between San Fernando
and Cahuenga. The connnissioners which had been named by General Pico
met the commissioners appointed iiy Colonel Fremont, at Cahuenga, soon
after the arrival of Colonel Fremont at the latter place, when the treaty was

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 17

drawn up and signed by the commissioners, and was then ratified by General
Pico and Colonel Fremont, and exchanged on the 13th.

It can hardly be presumed that Colonel Fremont, was ignorant at the
time he entered into negotiations with the Californians, that Commodore
Stockton and General Kearny had taken possession of L«s Angeles, and that
he could have opened communications with them had he been so inclined.

Commodore Stockton, while on tlie march upon Los Angeles from San
Diego, had been met at San Juan Capistrano by William Workman and
Charles Fluggee, the first a native of England, the second of Germany, both
old and prominent residents of Los iVngeles, who had been sent by General
Florcs to obtain from Commodore Stockton the terms upon which he ^iTOuld
receive the submission of the insm-gcnt forces. They were told by Commo-
dore Stockton, that he would guarrantee the lives and property of all others
who had taken part in the insurrection, only upon the unconditional surren-
der to him of the person of General Flores. To these terms neither the com-
missioners or any of the Californians were prepared to accede.

It is apparent that the Californians had good cause to urge them into
negotiations with Colonel Fremont, or any other person who could guar-
antee them more honorable terms than the unconditional surrender of their
commanding officer. But the motive v.-hich induced Colonel Fremont to
seek for the Californians, and open negotiations with them, instead of
attempting to open communications with Stockton and Kearny, must be left
to conjecture.

During the time of the insurrection there had been an extra session of
the Mexican Territorial Legislature, at Los Angeles City. Commodore
Stockton knowing this fixct, and wishing to open communications with some
person, or some recognized body that had exercised executive or legislative
authority during the'insurrection, and unable to find any executive or mili-
tarj^ officer with whom to treat, did, on the second day after his entrance into
ttje citj^, send safe conducts to such of the members of the legislative body
as he could learn Avere in the neighborhood, and invited them to repair to Lob
Angeles and enter into negotiations. He did not meet with success in this
attempt. The whereabouts of some of the members could not be found and
others declined the invitation.

The arrival of General Fremont on the 14th, and the promulgation of
the fact that he had made a treaty with General Pico, caused considerable
discussion between Stockton, Kearny and Fremont. Neither Stockton or
Kearny was disposed to recognize the treaty made by Fremont as binding
on them. Matters continued in an unsatisfactory condition until the 16th,
when an additional article having been added to the treaty by the commis-
sioners, and ratified by Colonel Fremont and General Pico, who, in the
mean time, had come into the city, the treaty was accepted by Commodore
Stockton as the basis for the pacification of the country.

The occupation of Los Angeles by the Americans in the month of
August, 1846, was, like that of the whole Territory of Upper California in
that and the preceeding month, accomplished Avithout bloodshed or the firing
of a gun. The discontent, which was manifested by the inhabitants of Span-
ish ancestrj', and which, in September, culminated in an insurrection which
regained possession of all that part of California south and east of Monterej'-,
was caused by the ill-advised acts of some of the American officers left in
charge of the little garrisons stationed at the principal centres of population.

In Los Angeles, the officer in command. Lieutenant Gillespie, of the
Marine Corps, with numerically an insignificant and undisciplined military
force, attempted by a coercive system to' eflect a moral and social change in
the habits, diversions and pastimes of the people, and reduce then\ to his
standard of propriety. The result of this injudicious effort was the rebellion
of the inhabitants. The revolt inaugurated in this city immediately spread
throughout the country as far north as Monterey.

There was but little or no intercourse between the people of California
and those of other nations, or even with those of other parts of New Spain,
for the first fifty years after the planting of the missions. Although the mis-
sionaries and the military ofllccrs were in correspondence with Uicir supe-
riors at the cities of Mexico and Chihuahua, this correspondence was not only

18 LOS ANGELES COUNTY

infrequent but irregular, and was chiefly transmitted by vessels between San
Bias and California, the passages of which occupied a long time and were
far apart.

Between 1820 and 1825 foreign vessels began to call at and to trade in
the ports of California. Most of these foreign vessels were American, but
they gave to the world but little knowledge of California.

After the Independence of Mexico, and the opening of its ports to for-
eign trade, the port of San Pedro Avas one of the chief points on the Coast
of California for the shipping of the products of the country, and for the
landing of goods, wares and merchandise from abroad. The three missiong
in this county, and the owners of stock-farms, and the -inhabitants of Los
Angeles disposed of their products, chiefly hides and tallow, on board of for-
eign merchant vessels at the anchorage of San Pedro, taking imported pro-
ducts and manufactures in payment.

Between the people of Sonora, or of New Mexico, and those of Califor-
nia, there was comparatively no intercourse until about 1830. The inter-
course between those places and California, which commenced about that
time, was mainly brought about through the enterprise of American trap-
pers or beaver hunters.

Jedediah S. Smith, of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company, and a leader
of trapping parties, came into California with a party of trappers from the
Yellowstone River in 1825, and again in 1826, Through him and his men,
others engaged in trapping beaver in the Rocky Mountains, learned some-
thing of California. In 1828-9 Ewiug Young, of Tennessee, who had for
some seasons been engaged in trapping beaver in and north of New Mexico,
made a hunt in the Tulare Valley and on the waters of the San Joaquin.
He had in his party some natives of New Mexico. He passed through Los
Angeles on his way back from his hunting fields to New Mexico. His men,
on their return to New Mexico, in the Summer of 1830, spread their reports of
California,over the northern part of that Territory. In 1830 William AVolfskill,
a native of Kentucky but from Missouri, fitted out, in conjunction with Mr.
Young, a trapping party at Taos, New Mexico, to hunt tlie waters of the San
Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys. Failing, in the winter of 1830-31, to get over
the mountains between Virgin River and those rivers discharging into the Bay
of San Francisco, and his men becoming demoralized and impatient from
their sufferings of cold, he changed his line of travel and came with his
party into Los Angeles in February, 1831. With Mr. Wolfskill's party there
were a number of New Mexicans, some of whom had taken serapes smdfresa-
das (woolen blankets) with them for the purpose of trading them to the Indi-
ans in exchange for beaver skins. On their arrival in Catifornia they advan-
tageously disposed of their blankets to the rancheros in exchange for mules.
These New Mexicans mostly returned to Santa Fe in the summer of 1831, with
the mules they had obtained in California. The appearance of these mules
in New Mexico, owing to their large size, compared with those at that time
used in the Missouri and Santa Fe trade, and their very fine form, as well as
the price at which thej' had been bought in barter for blankets, caused quite
a sensation in New Mexico, out of which sprang up a trade, carried on by
means of caravans or pack animals, between the two sections of the same
country which flourished for some ten or twelve years. These caravans
reached California yearly during the before mentioned time. They brought
the woolen fabrics of New Mexico, and carried back mules, and silk, and
other Chinese goods.

Los Angeles was the central point in California of this New Mexican
trade. Coming by the northern or Green and Virgin River routes, the cara-
vans came through the Cajon Pass and reached Los Angeles. From thence
they scattered themselves over the country from San Diego to San Jose, and
across the Bay to Sonoma and San Rafael. Having bartered and disposed of
the goods brought, and procured such as they wished to carry back, and
what mules they could drive, they concentrated at Los Angeles for their
yearly return.

Between 1831 and 1844 a considerable number of native New Mexicans
rtnd some foreign residents of that Territory, came through with the trading

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 1»

caxavaus, in search of homes in this counliy. Some of them became per-
manent citizens, or residents, of this county. Julian Chaves, of tliis city,
and who has served many terms as County Supervisor or Common Council-
man of the city, was among the first iuiniigiaiits. The Martinezes, of San
Jose, and the Trujillos, and others, were also among these immigrants. Of
foreigners, who were residents of New Mexico, and came during this period
and located in this county, were John Rowland, William Workm;m, John
Reed, all of whom are dead, and the Hon. B. D. Wilson, and David W.
Alexander, heretofore and now the Sheriff of this county. Doctor John
Marsh also came to California in company wilh these traders, and after resi-
ding in Los Angeles some years, he located near Mount Diablo, where he
continued to live until he was murdered.

Other parties of Americans found their way from New Mexico to Cali-
fornia at different times in the third and fourth decades of this century,
numbers of whom became permanent residents of Los Angeles.

Richard Laughlin and Nathaniel Pryor, both of whom died in Los
Angeles, and Jesse Ferguson, who. lived here many years, came from New
Mexico, by the way of the Gila River, in 1828. In 1831 a Mr. Jackson who
had been one of the firm of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company, and a part-
ner of Jedediah S. Smith, came to Los Angeles from Santa Fe for the pur-
pose of buying mules for the Louisiana market. He returned to New Mex-
ico with the mules he purchased. With him came J. J. IVai'ner, who
remained in this place. A Mr. Bowman, known here as Joaquin Bowman,
was one of J. S. Smith's men, He died at San Gabriel, after having been
the miller at the Mission Mill for many years.

In tlie wmter of 1833-3 a small party of Americans from New Mexico
came over the Gila River route into Los Angeles. In this small party came
Joseph Paulding, who, in 1833 and 1834, made the first two billiard tables of
mahogony wood made in California. The first was made for George Rice,
and the second for John Rhea, both Americans. Mr. Rice came to Califor-
nia about 1827, from the Sandwich Islands. Mr. Rhea was from North Car-
olina, and came with Sir. Wolfskill. Lemuel Carpenter, of Missouri, was
also of this party, and established a soap manufactory on the rigiit bank of
the San Gabriel River, not far from the present road to Los Nielos. Subse-
quently he became tne proprietor of the Santa Gertrudes Ranch, v/here he
died. Wm. Chard was also of this party. After residing in this city some
years and planting a vineyard, he removed to the Sacramento Valley. A
Mr. Sill, who also settled in the Sacramento Valley, was of this party.

. Ewing Young came into Los Angeles from New Mexico, in March, 1833,
with a trapping party of about thirty men. On this occasion he came down
the Gila River. With him in this party came a number of men who took up
their residence in California; of which number Isaac Williams was a promi-
nent citizen of liOS Angeles City for about ten years, when he established
himself at the Chiuo Ranch as a farmer and stock-breeder, and was the pro-
prietor of and resident upon that ranch at the time of the capture there of
B. D. Wilson and party, as heretofore related. He continued to reside therc
until his death in September, 185(5. Moses Car.spn, a brother of the renowned
Kit Carson, came with Young at this time. After residing here a number of
years, he removed to Russian River in this State.

The town of Los Angeles, from its settlement onward, for more than
fifty years, had a jjupulation greater than any otiier of the towns of Califor-
nia. The first census, of whicii there are any records, was taken in i83(J, and
the sum total of inhabitants of the city and counUy, over wliicli the authori-
ties of the city exercised jurisdiction, which country included the whole of
the present County of Los i\_ugeles, except SiUi Juan Capislrauo, which at
that time was attached to the district of San Diego, was two thousand two
hundred and twenty-eight. Of this number five hundred and fitty-lhroc
were domesticated Indians.

This census gives the number of forty-six of the residents ofvLos Ange-
les as foreigners, and of these twenty-one are classed as Americans.

30 LOS ANGELES COUNTY

Knowing that the following letters were in the archives of the Society
of California Pioneers, and desirous that the evidence of the discoveiy and
working of gold placeres in this county might be incorporated into this
sketch/ a request was made to the Secretary of that Society for copies of
the letters. Owing to unavoidable delay in their arrival, we were under the
necessity of preparing that part of this sketch from the personal recollection
of one of the writers, and such other evidence as could be obtained from
witnesses still living.

After the preceding pages were printed, copies of the letters were re-
ceived. A discrepancy in tlie date of the discovery as related l)y Mr. Stearns
and that given in these jiages will be observed. We believe, however, that
the date given by us is the correct one, as, among the many authorities for
that date is Don Ygnacio del Valle of Camulos, an intelligent and educated
gentleman, a man of careful liabits, and whose practice has been to make
and preserve notes of the events of his life. In the year of the discovery of
these gold fields Mr. Valle was appointed an auxiliary Alcalde, expressly for
that mining district, and is less likely to be mistaken than Mr. Stearns when
writing upon the subject after a lapse of twenty-five years, and who being a
merchant at that lime, would upon referring to his books, be more likely to
find the date of the purchase of the gold, than that of the discovery of the
gold fields.

The letters are given in full, as the one from Mr. Robinson vividly por-
trays the secluded state of California at that time.

Los Angeles, July 8th, 18G7.
Louis R. Lull, Esq., Secretary of the Society of Pioneers, San Francisa'.

St]j : — On my arrival here from San Francisco, some days since, I re-
ceived your letter of June 3d last past, requesting the certificate of assay of
gold sent by me to the Mint at Philadelphia in 1843. I find by referring to
my old account books that November 22d,1842, I sent by Alfred Robinson,
Esq., (who returned from California to the States by the way of Mexico,)
twenty ounces California weight (ISf?^ ounces Mint v/eight) of placer gold,
to be forw^arded by him to the U. S. Mint at Philadelphia for assay.

In his letter to me, dated August 6th, 1843, you will find a copy from the
Mint assay of the gold, which letter I herewith enclose to you to be placed
in the archives of the Society.

The placer mines from which this gold was taken were first discovered
by Francisco Lopez, a native of California, in the month of March, 1843, at
a place called San Fraucisquito, about thirt}'--five miles north-west from this
city ( Los Aiigeles.)

The ch-cumstances of the discovery by Lopez, as related by him, are as
follows : Lopez, with a companion, was out in search of some stray horses,
and about midday they stopped under some trees and tied their horses out
to feed, they resting under tlje shade ; when Lopez with his sheath knife dug
up some wild onions, and in the dirt discovered a piece of gold, and search-
ing fm'ther found some more. He brought these to town, and showed them
to his friends, who at once declared there must be a placer of gold. This
news being circulated, numbers of the citizens went to the place and com-
menced prospecting in the neighborhood, and found it to be a fact that there
was a placer of gofd. After being satisfied most persons returned ; some re-
mained, particularly Sonorenses ( Sonorians), who were accustomed to work
in placers. They met with good success.

From this time the placers were worked with more or less success, and
principally by Sonorenses (Sonorians), until the latter part of 1846, when
most of the Sonorenses left with Captain Flores for Sonora.

While worked there was some iix or eight tJiousand dollars taken out
per annum. Very respectfully, yours,

ABEL STEARNS.

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 21

New York, August Cth, 1843.

My Dear D. Abel: — I embrace this opportunity of the sailing of a ship
from Boston to address you a few lines, and therein to inform you of the re-
sult of your sliipment of gold, which is as follows, as per statement from the
Mint at Philadelphia:

"Memorandum of gold bullion deposited the 8th day of July, 1843, at
the mint of the United States at Philadelphia, by Grant & Stone, of weight
and value as follows :

" Before melting, 18 34-100 oz. ; after melting, 18 1-100 oz. ; fineness,
926-1,000; value, |344 75; deduct expenses, sending to Philadelphia and
agency there, $4 02 ; net, f 340 73.

I called upon your brother immediately on my arrival here, and stated
to him that I should be prepared to deliver him, on your account, $200, as
soon as I had disposed of some gold I had in my possession, belonging to
you, and accordingly as soon as realized, I paid over the amount, for which I
have a receipt. I have making, and intend to send by this conveyance, the
boots you ordered, and the remainder you will receive by a vessel which we
contemplate sending this fall. Perhaps I may send the jewelry for Dona
iVrcadia, but tlie clothing I must defer, as my wife cannot at present attend
to the purchasino- of it, being rather unwell.

How pleased you would be to make a visit to your native country — your
home ! What a change you would find — what improvements !

You will be enabled to come via Panama, or rather, I should say, per
Canal. The Messrs. Baring & Co., of London, liave made a contract with
the " Central Government," and in all probability the contract will be fin-
ished in five years ; so at last the long talked of route through the isthmus
will finally be accomplished.

Mexico is still in an unsettled state, and Santa Ana is, to all intents and
purposes. Dictator. All and everything is done that he orders, and, in fact,
his will is law. I did not see liim when I was there, he being so ill-hu-
mored that he refused to see any one. The foreign Ministers all had been
trying for several days to get at him, but to no purpose. The cause of his
wish to be alone was the chagrin he felt at his unsuccessful attempt to sub-
due the Yucatanos.

Texas still holds out, :;inl (hori' is a- rumor of a negotiation under way
between Santa Ana and Iluu;-lou, relative to a peace between the two
countries.

In Spain there is another revolution against the Regent. Espartero has
met with great reverses. This country seems doomed to civil discord and
sti-ife.

Ireland, also, is in agitation, and Eiigland has been pouring in troops by
thousands through fear of \ revolt.

The Liberals of England have had sympathetic meetings in favor of the
repealers. They seem to think that by placing the Irish on an equality
with the Englisli, by giving them equal rights, the Irish will be satisfied.
O'Connell, by his harangues, is working them up to a determination; and
Ireland shall be a Nation.

You will see by the papers that we have had a change in the Cabinet at
Washington. Webster retired and Lagare died.

I informed your brother of this opi)ortanity to write, and lie said that
he was going a journey — that, if he got back in time, he would make yon
up a bundle.

Remember me kindly to your wife, to Isadora, Don. Juan and ladyf and
to all our numerous friends in Los Angeles, and believe me, your friend,

ROBINSON.

I send j^ou six pairs of boots, each $4 50~$27 — which have been made
from the best of stock.

LOS ANGELES COUNTl

CHAPTER II.

LOS AKGELE8 COUffTT FKOM: 1847 TO 13(

)f||| Att

(s^;

EAR 1847 hails the dawn of a New Era for California,
the close of January, the aufhoritj^ of the United States was
established throughout this territory. The i)rincipal incidents
. '^M^ *^f the reoccupation of the City of Los Angeles are related in
the unpublished Journal of Dr. John S. Griffin, Assistant Sur-
geon, U. S. A., attached to the command of General Stephen W. Kearny.

Commodore Stockton and General Kearny took up the line of march
from San Diego on the 29th day of December, 1846. The brave little army
of six hundred men, was composed of crews of the frigate Congress and sloops
of war Portsmouth and Cyane, Company C, First Dragoons of Gen. Kearny,
and volunteers, together with thirty native Californians, who were under
Captain Santiago £. Arguello. January seventh they encamped at the
Kancho of Los Coyotes, about eighteen miles from Los Augeles. For the
sequel, we follow the Journal :

January 8th.— Wo left camp early. It was reported that the enemy would
certainly give us a brush, as he had crossed the River San Gabriel iu force, vritli
three pieces of artillery. His scouts were hovering around all day. About two
and a half p. m. wc arrived at an ludiau village near the River San Gabriel.
There were more scouts. We formed in line of battle. The volunteer riflemen
led as scouts; then the dragoons, Cyane's musketeers, four pioeeB of artillery,
marines and sailors; baggage In the centre; cattle and rear guard, with two piecee
of artillery. Proceeding thus, the enemy appeared In full force. A hundred or
more crossed, threatening our advance, but soon retired and took post on the
opposite side. Their grape fell short. Steadily we advanced— the dragoons and
Cyane's marines supporting two guns in front; two large guns followed, supported
by marines and crew of the Congress. In this shape we took the river, ran off the
enemy, and made a lodgment under the first bank.

Our shots here dismounted one or two of their guns— one of these effective
shots was aimed and fired by the Commodore. At once we made a rush for the
second bank, over a plain of nearly three hundred yards (as I judged) in breadth,
between the two points. Across this the charge was made under full firo. When
about half way, a charge was threatened; the sailors threw themselves into
square, and, with the greatest ease, drove off the enemy. Our charge pi-cesed on
and gained the height, many of our men not firing a gun. The Mexicans ran
clearly off the field. We had one man killed, eight wounded in the fight, and
another by the accidental discharge of a musket. AVe lost twenty-one horses, of
the volunteers, which they had tied up before going into action, and forgot until
too late.

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 3S

fith.— At loaving camp we saw few of the enemy, although he had encamped
"withia a mile tJie evening before. Proceeding, he appeared in considerable force
on our right tlank. The artillery exchanged shots. What damage we did I do
not know; on our side, a dragoon (Childs) and a sailor were slightly wounded,
and Captains Gillespie and Rowan, of the navy, were hit by spent balls. For
two miles over this mesa, the Mexican artillery flrfe continued. We were obliged
to-march slow, in consequence of the broken down condition of the ox teams;
nor could we leave the baggage to charge their guns, which we could have easily
capture<l. At length the enemy drew up in open order, at some distance out of
gun slKjt.fhieatcningour right rear and left front. Finally they charged, received
an ellt (•ii\ u lire in return, withdrew^ and marched in the direction of the town.

We encamped on the stream, two miles below the city, in which everything
was quiet through the night. Occasionally a light could be seen passing about,
but no demonstration against us was made.

10th.— About nine o'clock A. M., a flag of truce came out, with information
that our entry would not be opposed, since they did not wish the place to be
destroyed. We however marched up in line of battle, prepared for action.

T]ie army passerl from the river into Main street near the old " Celis
house," thence up ?.Iaiu street to the Plaza. Two guns with a couple of hun-
dred men, were slatioued on the hill overlooking Main street; the rest quar-
tered as coniiorlal;ly as possible. On the 14th, Colonel J. C. Fremont
marched in from Cahuenga, his battalion, the Journal says, "a body of fine-
looking men in general on good horses and armed with rifles." Eleven hun-
dred of United States troops were now in the city. Upon the hill at once
was commenced a Fort, on which the patriotic sailors worked cheerily,
although they had begun to talk of their ships, and the term of service of
many of them had expired. It was finished by the Mormons. It has been
said that a small entrenchment at this spot existed, made in the time of Gov-
ernor Micheltorena. This is a mistake. Before 1846 it liad been the play-
ground of the children, favorite resort of lovers, the place for picnics or rec-
reation on days of festival. In 1850 and several years thereafter, hundreds
of persons every fine Sunday afternoon of early Spring, might be seen there,
culling the wild flowers or gazing over the beautiful panorama of mountain
and plain and sea. A very long time passed before it began to have charm-
ing residences as now. January eighteenth, General Kearny, with his dra-
goons afoot and almost shoeless, and after the casualties of their hard cam-
paign, scarcely more than fifty in number, marched for San Diego. Cap-
tains Emory and Turner, Lieutenants Davidson and Warner, and Dr. Griffin,
returned with him. Commodore Stockton followed the next day.

The battle-ground of January eighth, is at present "Pico Crossing; " by
the Californians always named CURUNGA. General Jose Maria Flores
commanded the Californians. lie had ordered the charge to be made by a
squadron. The company advanced, under Captain Juan Bautista JMoreno.
Don Francisco Cota, bearing the Mexican standard, placed himself at its
head, and the column dashed down the precipitous hill, about seventy in
number, upon the close ranks of Stockton. The sailors received them with
a terrible fire. The other company reached the brow of the hill to follow
Iheir comrades ; when Don Diego "Sepulveda, acting upon his own judgment.^
ordered a halt, advanced alone, and commanded a retreat. He was aid of
Flores. This feat was accomplished by Captain Moreno, uuder heavy fire,
hut without further loss than a severe vv'ound which he received. Two had
been mortally wounded by the first fire of the sailors; namely, Ygnacio-
Sepulveda ('El Cuaclio'), brother of Don Diego, and Francisco Ilubiou
('Bachico ')• They died of tlieir wounds, at Sau Gabriel. Californians still
{^Deak of their strange emotions, retired only about a thousand 5-ards, at the
music of Stockton's Baud, when the heights were taken and their late camp
occupied by him. In tlie artillery duel of the MESA, Alfcrez Jose Maria
Ramirez was slightly vv-oundctl, and a youth named Ignacio ' El Guaimeno,'
killed. Their entire force did not exceed four hundred. Solely on a point
of honor, they say, were made the demonstrations of this second daj% not
from any serious plan or design to give battle. At the distance, itwas easy
for the xVmerican army to be misled as to the effect of its shots, owing to the
habit of Californians, so agile on horseback, to hang themselves on their sad-
dles over their horses, on eitlier side from the danger. ' El Guaimeno,' that
is to say, 'of Guaimas,' was a Yaqui Indian, born on the river of that name. In
a battle against the Yaquis, a soldier had captured him, then a child, and was

34 L03 ANGELES COUNTY

about to kill him. Don Santiago Johnson interposed, bought him of the
soldier for twelve dollars, and finally brought him in his family to California.

This account of tlft engagements, except as to the origin of ' El Guai-
meno,' is derived from Don Agustin Olvera, who was present as " Capitan
Auxiliar," and also as a member of the Departmental Assembly. It seems
to have been thought, tliat the personal eclat of some of the higher func-
tionaries would inspire the rank and file with greater enthusiasm. Certainly
common sense will not undertake to judge them, as regular soldiers. Mag-
nificent horsemen they were, and l)y a simple and active life, made hardy for
campaigns, but never'had rigid military training. Most of them were very
young. This revolucion owed much to the patriotic zeal of the women of the
counUy, by fervent appeal and indignant upbraiding impelling father,
brother, husband, lover, to resistance. Happily they the first in January to
bow gracefully to destiny — a gentle inilueuce so new-born, like the rainbow
at the close of the storm. Yvmxx of the graver inhabitants felt that they were
not able to cope with the rnilcd States; their men undisciplined, and with-
out any resources to wage war. k-io thought General Flores, we may well
believe, with his reputation for experience and skill; and the like conviction
lias often been attributed to General Andres Pico. But the untamed spirit of
the majority at first did not stop to reason upon the consequences. Honor
and love of country threw away cold calculation and military caution.

General Jose Maria Flores was born at the Hjicienda de los Ornos, in
the department of Coahuila. He had been aid to Governor IMicheltorena.
He died at Mazatlan, in April or !May, 1806. His wife was a native of Cali-
fornia— Dona Dolores Zamorano, daughter of Don Agustin Zamorano, who
had been Secretary of Governor Jose Maria Echeandia from 1S25, and after-
ward, in 1833, of Governor Jose Figueroa ; he was born in Florida. Her
grandfather was Don Santiago Arguetlo, formerly Military Commandant at
San Diego, and from 1840 until 184:^, Prefect at "Los Angeles, whose eldest
son, Don Santiago E., was caiitaiu of the native Cnlifornian compau}', on the
American side, at tlie battle o'f Curunga. General Flores was thirty years of
age, at the date of these events.

From September, 1846, this city was the centre of exciting operations-
Late in October, Don Leonardo Cota, at the head of one hundred men, raised
in and around Los Angeles, marchvil fur San Diego, of which port Commo-
dore Stockton, in the frigate C'cngriss, ;i sliort time before had trikeu possess-
ion. After an unimportant deiaoni^tratiou on the Old Presidio hill, and a
trifling skirmish at the Jlissiou San Diego, he withdrevv to the little valley of
Soledad, twelve miles north of the tov/n, near enough to avail himself of any
opportunity that might ofier to renew the attack. His ofiicers were Enrique
Abila, Ramon Carrillo, Jose Maria Cota, Carlos Dominguez, Nicolas Her-
mosillo (a Sonoranian), all of this city; Jose Alipaz of San JuanCapistrano,
and Ramon O. Suna of San Diego. Meauvv-hilc a Commission that had been
sent by Flores to Castro, in Sonora, had des])atelied information to Los Ange-
les, that a large body of armed men had been seen on the river Gila. In
consequence of this report, about November twenty-second, General Andres
Pico was sent, with one hundred men, to protect Cota and oppose the entry of
any hostile force. General Pico first took post at San Luis Key Mission ;
finally moved to the pretty valley (jf San Pascual. He then had eighty men;
having lost some stragglers, but gained reinforcements of ten from San Diego
county, among them Don Leandro Osuna. His officers were Captain
Juan Bautista Moreno, Tomas A. Sanchez, Pablo Vejar, Manuel Vejar, and
others. The reader will not confound this point with the Rancho of San
Pascual, about twelve miles from the City of Los Angeles, where subse-
quently, about the date of the Cahuenga negotiation. General Pico had a
camp. San Pascual of battle memory is thirty-four miles northeast from
the City of San Diego, close to the foot of the mountains. This is one of the
three Indian pueblos established after the secularization of the ]\Iissions. It
had then a small population, originally of emancipated Neophytes of the
Mission of San Diego, who liave been reduced in numbers during the last
thirty years. It exists still, but misses the governing hand of " Old Panto,"
who died two or three years ago.

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 25

The fight of December Sixth was due to the impetuosity of General
Kearny. General Pico was ill-prepared for it on that night. Warned by
Indian runners, coming into his camp, of forces marching from Santa Maria
Rancho, yet his horses had been left grazing loose, np San Pascual Valley,
until very near the moment of attack. The Californian account gives a loss
of two prisoners — one of whom was wounded — none killed. The prisoners
were Don Pablo Vejar, and the wounded man, Juan Lara, whose leg,
six months afterward, was amputated at San Diego by a French physician,
and Tidio for a long time continued to live at Los Angeles. Don Lenndro
Osuna killed Captain Moore with a lance. In the last tierce onslaught, par-
ticularly conspicuous were Juan Lobo, a ranchero of Mision Vieja, Dolores
Higuera, commonly called " EI Guero," and son of Salvador Higuera — these
were privates — and Captain Moreno. Pablo Apis, Indian Chief of Temecula,
was not there, nor any other Indiins. The sconce of contiict being at the
Rancheria of Panto, Chief of San Pascual, he had rendered some aid to
General Pico. The first ^hots were fired close to his house — within three
hundred yards of which fell Captain Johnston, in the first charge. It is
admitted that Phillip Cro3thwaite,'a San Diego volunteer under Gillespie,
saved the life of Don Pablo Vejar, whom one of the two Delaware Indians
of Kit Carson was on the point of killing. On the morning after the fight,
Don Leonardo Cota incorporated his company with that of General Pico, at
the Rancho of San Bernardo, which place, a few hours afterward, was occupied
by General Kearny.

After the first shock, at the Indian village, it is evident that the Califor-
nians retreated rapidly down the road, except a few who escaped over the
hills. Captain Moore and men followed ou the second charge, pell mell, one
after another, in utter confusion; their fire arms in general useless — from the
cold, their sabres almost impotent, and the buj-ler unable to sound a call.
Lieutenant Hammond ^vas heard to say, by William B. Dunne : " For God's
sake, men, come up!" In vain, in the manner they were mounted. At the
distance of half a mile a sharp, rocky spur makes out from the range of
hills. There were a fevv^ Americans dead or 'v-.'ouuded. Day broke, but vfith a
dense fog. A goodly number, mcludiiig (Jenerul Kearny, Captain Moore,
Lieutenant Hammond, and Captain Gillespie, had parsed by and out into the
little plain that spreads beyond toward San Bernardo and Rincon Ranchos.
A body of lancers suddenly rushed upon them from behind tiie north side ot
this spur. Five minutes completed the massacre. None had been killed or
wounded on the way from the Indian village. The howitzer was captured
by Guero Higuera and another. He then attacked Captain Gillespie. In
1856, at San Francisco, tliat ofiicer described to Don Agustin Olvera the inci-
dentsof tliis encounter. He received first a slight v/ound in the chest, followed
up with his sword, and parried other thrusts; at last Higuera's lance struck
him full in tlie mouth Avith such force as to knock out two teeth. He fell
from his horse to the ground, and feigned to be dead. His fine zernpc and
horse and saddle Higuera seized, and galloped ofl:'. When Captain Emory
got the other howitzer in place, the men returning from the plain formed in
a circle around it, a few Californians still riding near. Presently the fog
rose, and they were visible distinctly all making off toward the Soto Hill.
Captain Moore was killed, at the distance of several hundred yards on the
plain, near a pond of water; his sword hilt was in his hand in deatli; the
blade was found in two })ieces. At the point of the spur, above referred to,
among tlie rocks and cactus, the hospital was established; the wounded were
brought in from the jdain, and the dead were sought for and gathered. Iq
his Report, Captain William 11. Emory says : "When night closcd'in, the bodies
were buried under a willow to the east of our camp. Thus were put to rest
together, and forever, a band of brave and lieroic men. Tlie long march of
2,000 miles had brought our little band to know each other well. Commu-
nity of hardships, danger, and privations had produced relations of mutual
regard which caused their loss to -sink deeply into our memories." The
saddest reflection of a calm judgment, after the lapse of years, is that, with
the character of the Californians, so easily satisfied and so conciliable always,
and the known disposition of their commandei-, General Andres Pico, in the
actual circumstances of his country — if General Kearny had marched into

as LOS ANGELES COUNTY

the valley of San Pascual, in open daylight and according to military rules,
his advent would have been the signal for a treaty of peace and prompt sub-
mission to his authority; at any rate, he Avould have reached San Diego, it is
easy to believe from all the circumstances, without the loss of blood on
either side.

Three days before the battle of San Pascual, a portion of the men under
General Flores, chiefly " Barljareuos " (i. e., of Santa j3arl)ara), rebelling at
the proposal to send them to Mexico with certain American prisoners — from
an aversion to go out of their native California — rose against him and put
him in confinement. The Departmental xlssembly met next day, adopted a
decree recognizing Flores in supreme command. This was pul)]islu'd on tlie
fifth, and tranquility so restored. During these occurrences the white
population of this city, is estimated liy thoughtful |)ersons then living here, at
not over one thousand, which w;is the estimate of the United States officers
when they entered, January, 1847.

A vivid picture of marcii and battle is presented in Dr. Griffin's Journal :

" 1846— November 22.— We discovered the trail of a laree body of horse. Kit
Car.son saw tiie trades of women on tlie sand. Lieutenant Emory went out with a
party of twentj^ men, and about 12J.2 P. m. , brouyiit in ihreo or four Mexicans,
from whom we learned that they were a party of trfi.iiers, or rather refugee.s from
California to Sonora. Tliey had tive hniiiJred liorsr-iand mules. Tliey told vis
of Flores; that Rou1)ido\ix was a iirisnno'-; advNed us !)f)t to lose time, as our
presence would tie of !,:i-;'at Ijenefit to mn- couui :■ylll^■n. (I lliinli, not many
minutes will be loMi.) ■■ ' (iur men ai.' in'ariN" nalied and Ijarefoofod, their

feet sore, and leg-wearv. Only the .sicli liavo 1m-, ti ;.llov.e<l to ride lately. We
are a mile and a half aliove the mouth of the Gihi.

" 23d— A child born to night, in the Mexican camp. ^Ve all contributed tea,
sugar, and coftee to the mother.

"24th. — Lieutenants Emory .and Vrarner (Topographic.il Engineers), while
out making observations, came across a :\Texican in llie bottom; searched him,
and found several letters addressed to Castro. Crossed the Color«bdo River, so as
to take the desert to-morrow.

* * >;< Si * .■.< » *

"December 2d.— .\bout 4 p. 3t. aa-r:, a •! .at V'r'nfi'r- - ■]\-^ exf-i'eme frontier
settlement of California, He is livin- vi ry r(,iii.for!al.!y; sn^ms to have plenty
of cattle, horses and sheep, and certainly has a iine ranee for theni. An Irish-
man there informed us '■■• '■■ '■•■ that there were detaclied particK of (he enemy
between us and San Diego, and that a ilexica.n force, cseorting iirisoners out of
the country to Mexico, would probably arrive in our neiphborhoo't to-night.

".3d.— This is called Agua Calienfe— a l)oiling spring— a vineyard. We
obtained some of the grapes dried; they were nearly as sweet as raisin.s, and of
fine flavor; also, watermelons from the Indians. Last night had a visit from an
Englishman, by name Stokes; he has reinain(\l neutral during the difficulties.
He consented to carry a letter to Commodore Stockton, at San Diego. About one
P. M., Liutenant Davidson returned witli some lunulred young mules and horses,
the major portion utterly worthless tons. • ' liain all day. Camped at

Stokos'Ranch in the evening— Santa Ysalxd.

" 4th.— This was a Mission; the buildings much belter than at Warner's;
everything of neater appearance. An Indian village was nenr the house. The
Chief made a speech to the General last evening, in which he declared his wish
not to engage in the war in any manner, but that ho wns perfectly willing to go
to work. The General advised hiin to keep at peace and work hard, ajid he would
be well treated. Stokes seems to have a large stock. His Major-domo gave the
officers a supper. He gave the General information of a party of Mexicans at
some mission on our road, with ,500 animals.

"5th— Marched from Stokes' Ranch with Penor Bill— William Williams—
the Major-domo, for guide. lie drank pretty freely the nicht liefore; chasing
wild horses, presently he was thrown, .and said he would go no farther. The
General had him mounted on a mule, v.-ith two of tiie guard by his side. Bill
took us once on the wrong road, but soon cori-ected tlie mistake. After a few
miles we met Captain Gillespie's party, from San Diego— .ir. men and one fonr-
pounder. They soon encamped. We marched ?ibout 10 mile.«, to a grove of live
oak, with no water, except that which was falling frojn tiie heavens. It rained
heavily. A party of the enemy being reported in our vicinity, it was first deter-
mined that Captain Moore should take sixty men anil make a night attack. For
some reason the General altered his mind, and sent Lieutenant Hammond, with
three men, to reconnoitre. Hammond found the enemy at sonie ten miles dis-
tant, but was discovered. As he galloped off" with his party, the Mexicans gava
three cheers.

" December 6th— At two p. m. we were all afoot, and expected to surprise the
Mexicans. Although we had rain all night our arms were not reloaded; but
'boots and saddles ' was the word, and ofT wo went— in search of adventure.
Two miles from camp we overtook Gillespie's compaTiy, which fell in in the
rear. Major Swords was left back with the baggage and thirty men. Another
party remained behind with Gillespie's four-jionnder. Tliis reduced our fighting
men to eighty-five, all told. With these and two howitzers wo marched forward.

CENTENNIAL HISTOHY. 27

The morning was excessively cold. We felt it the more, as most of us were wet
to the skin. Passing over a mountain, isml traveling as near as I can judge ten
or eJevenmiles, we came in sight of the ouemy'.s tiies.

" AVe marcliod down the inoniit.iiii. So soon as we arrived on the flat below,
the shout and charge roninnMirc-d fi-oin the advance. After running our jaded
and brolven down laulfs and hoi-scs about throe-fourths c)f a mile the enemy
opened tii'c on us. The Imlls whis! led liy awhile, but tlie light was not sutKcient
forme to disfinivruisli anythin':: liki^a line ox the enemy; on juy h'I't, liowcver,
there va>; ii considi'i'aljh' (iasliiua- of ^uns. lu a few niiauics th<'- cni'inv broke,
and we found that they had madt' a. sland in front of an Indian IlanclnMJa, called
.San Pascual. Day was Just breaking. At this momenta Mexican dashed by;
Lieutenant Beale', of the navy, (Ired several shots, and he fell. Another man
galloped by — he had a Mexican look; a dragoon jdstol M'as fired at liim without
effect, and the dragoon v/as about to cut him down witii a sa')re, wlu'U I recog-
nized him as one of Gillespie's party. Hy this time we were murli disordered.
Some of our men had fast horses, others poor, V^rokeii dov.-n h'u-scs and mules.
Captain Moore, however, ordered the charge fiirtlier; it ^vas made hurly-burly—
not more than ten or fifbcn men in line, and not forty altogether. ( )n th"y went.
The enemy continued liie rt'(reat for about half a inile, when tliey radlird, and
camp at us like devils, \v!Mi thi'ir lances. Jlountod on swift horses, and most of
our firearms having 'ncn disdiarged or missetl fire, from tlie rain of the night
before, our advau'-.' ^\'as at their nicn-y. our men wheeled, and a howitzer
having been )irou'4lii a|i m ,;r, ra! iie,i ua , j,,. -un, and drove off the enemy.

"Hanrnioii'l v,a -: > ia' lir- 1 ■,, .a;:M< d laaa 1 sa\',-. lie had l.ieen in the advance
with Moore, aiwl had a lame \-, ■ ai ml on the h'ft side, Ijelwacn the eighth and
ninth rilis. I told iiim to go a lii I !>• i art la r lo I hi- rear and I would attend to him.
Separated a.tflns momentfrom liini, ihr- i-ai aal saw me, told he was wounded,
and wis J led m\- sar vices. In a fe\v nmiiienls ( 'a. plains (Jinesjiie and ( Jibson, and
others, were f'und to he v.-ounde,;. rantain .bihnston, wlio led (he lirst charge,
was killed l>y a gnii-shol. I was toid he was the only one who received
anj'- injur V from gun-shoi. :Moore was killed leading the ".second cliarge; and
Hammoial, ii ^^'as said (aial so la' f >!d nee, in attempting to rescue Moore. One
of Emory's jiarty was kille i I'/tiie n.imeef :,renard; also, one of Gillespie's
men; two Sergeants, one ( 'nrriwi-al, an ! elev.ii ))rivates, of dragoons, and on©
missing, sui)posed to ))<• hJlleii. \Ve hi a > lae . jf our ho^vitzers — the mules vyfere
wild and ran oir wirh !la_' pi' a . .a liie iiii.,- men witli It, one was killed, the
other two desperately,woundad. Himhi the wliole, we had wounded: four officers,
one Sergeant, one Corporal, ten privates, and Mr. Roubidoux, interpreter. Total
killed and W(junded, thirty-aight. And I siiould not think there were to exceed
lifty men who saw tiic enemy. AVe took two prisouer.s.

"This was an action wherein decidedly more courage tiian conduct was
shown. Tin- first chai-ge was a mistake on the part of Captain Johnston; the
second, on the part of Captain Moore.

" Wedrove tlie eiumiy from a: ■' " ' : ad encamped.

"Dec. 7tii.— JNIareiied and i ai of a hill in front of tho house of

Ban Bernardo Ihiiaiaj, afu a a. ' : it. The \voui)ded were carried in

six ambulances. I sent \',(.rd a. aeo that I would be most happy to

attend to his wounde.i. ! !«• lephe,! i ha: la> laal none.

"8th.— :uade > xehimee oi one prisoner for another. On account of th«
wounded the General eon.ser.a d forem.iin. Lieutenant Beale and Kit Car.son
were sent with despatelies to Coniiao;!iae Stockton. "\Ve burnt all the baggage,
in order to have as little encuminane ■ as oossible; dismounted the men, and de-
termini'cl to perform the restof tie' m arali ou foot. The enemy hovering around,
butcarcful not to come within giin-.-iai;.

"itth.— In camp; nothing going on; llie enemy parading about on tlie hills
on the otlier side of the valley. We are reduced to mule meat.

" 10th.— .Sergeant Cox died this morning. If reinforcements are not sent wa
march in the morning, at all hazards. Our animals were grazing quietly at the
foot of the hill near camp. At a distance we could see a party of Mexicans driv-
ing a band of wild horses toward us. Wltliin half an hour they came on at full
speed, in lending thus a stampede. Certainly a beauiful sight, as they approached
nearer. Waiting awhile, and not coming within gun-shot, our animals were
driven out of the way, and by a shout the wild horses was turned— only one mule
getting within gun-shot (with a great hide tied to the tail), which was struck, I
was told, liy forty balls, and finally butchered. A Godsend to as, this being very-
fat. The General ordered all things to be in readiness for marching In the morn-
ing. We all went to bed firml.v convinced that we should have to fight our way
Into San Biego.

" 11th.— About two o'clock A. M., the sentinel hoard a body of armed men
approaching. They were hailed, and, to our great joy, found to be friends sent to
our relief from San Diego. They mustered 200 strong— SO marines and 100 sailors.
Captain Zielan in charge of the marines, Lieutenant Gray of the whole detach-
ment. Immediately our beds were vacated, and surrendered to our tired com-
rades. Awaking, at daylight, they found mule soup ready. In turn, they emptied
the contents of their haversacks, consisting of jerked beef and bread, and all
made a first rate In-enkfast. The .lack Tars seemed highly delighted with this
new role of ' soldiers,' discontented only with the enemy fur not having given
them a fight before reacliing camp. Earlv in the morning we started for iha
Rancho of Penasquitos (little stones). The hill sides were well set with wild
oats, two or three inches above the surface, green as a M'heat field. Colleeted a
hundred head of cattle to-day. In fine condition; and at tho ranch picked up a

38 LOS ANGELES COUNTY

hundred sheep and a barrel of wine (for the ?lek and wounded). A plentiful
supper, and a good night's rest.

" 12th.— All arose, freshened with the idea of to-day finishing this long and
weary march. Reached San Diego about four p. m. we received the warmest
welcome and kindest attention from our naval friends. Everything, so far as it
was in the power of the Surgeon of the post, had been prepared for our wounded.
The Congress and Portsmouth were at anchor in the bay, and the town was garri-
soned by their crews and niarlne.s."

Lieutenant Colonel Philip St. George Cooke, and tlie Mormon battalion,
reached the Mission of San Diego, January 29th ; Stephen C. Foster, his in-
terpreter. March 17th, with Company C, 1st Dragoons and four companies
of his battalion; Col. Cooke took post at this City. The officers of Com-
pany C then were: Capt. A. J. Smith, l»t Lieut. J. B. Davidson, 2nd Lieut.
George IT. Stoneman; tlie last mentioned officer a graduate of the previous
year at West Point. Col. Jonathan D. Stevenson arrived in the latter part of
Apri], Aviih Company G, Capt. Matthew P. Stevenson and Company E, Capf.
Nelson Taylor, of the New York Regiment, (C!apt. Stevenson is dead. Capt.
Taylor was a Brigadier General in the Civil War, and Jlembor of Congress
from New York.) May IGth, by order of Col. Cooke, Dr. Griffin v/as ap-
pointed as surgeon at this Citv, Dr. Sandefson, surgeon of the Mormon battal-
ion, having lieeu ordered to join Gen. Kearny. In June the Mormon bat-
talion was discharged, their term of service being out: one company of
whicli re-e!disted for the war under Capt. Jesse D. Hunter (now resident
here), who had commanded Company B of that battalion; Captain Hunter
is a native of Kentucky. lu August he was appointed Agent for the Indians,
who especially in San Diego county had done much damage upon- the
ranchos.

A pleasant reminiscence there is of Don Juan Abila. Dr. Griffin made
his ride within two days and a half from San Diego, in consequence of Col.
Cooke's order. At the Alisos raucho his horse was too jaded to proceed.
Don Juan immediately gave him — not a hronco, but one of his best saddle
horses — with characteristic Califoruiau hospitality. Thus early had confi-
dence ;uid cordial feelings sprung up among this open-hearted race. It is
proper to ol>serve, that before the army had felt the amenities of resident
foreigiitis identified by marriage with the natives — among them, Don Ed-
ward Slukes, of Santa Ysabc], and Don Juan Forster, both these gentlemen
of English birth.

July 4th, 1847, the Fort on the hill was finished. The stafT was raised
and tlic fiag thrown to the breeze amid salutes of canjinn : and tlii> work was
christened "Fort ;5Ioorc. A grand ball at night, given by the American offi-
cers, ended that National Anniversary.

It is thi' name of Capt. Ben. Moore, who had fallen at San Pascual, De-
cember (itii, ishl. One, on the then western frontier well-remembered,
s-o kin(Wind gfiaal ever; stern, prompt, faithful vt-'heu duty called. On that
<lark riay .L!e;a- by u-1! Lieut. Thoaias H.Hammond. ('oiniKc-.ions they in
arms, i.iari-ied to sisters, devoted friends, their lifo-blou.l uiingkd for their
couDtrv's .^ake. They are buried together at the Old Towu, Sau Diego.

July 9t]i, Lieut. Col. Henry S. Burton having obtained necessary stores
and two" six pounders nt Los Angeles, left San Pedro with his command of
110 men o;i the U. S. store-ship Lexington, to occupy the port of La Paz,
Lower C:ilifnrnia. He had of the 1st N. Y. Regiment Company A, Capt.
Seymour G. Steele and -Company B, Capt. 11. C. Matsell. After several con-
flicts the occupation was firmly establislied and maintained, until the troops
were withdrawn and that country delivered over to Mexico under the terms
of the Treaty. An episode of war, that has a glow of romance in more than
one of its pleasing traditions. Lieut. Col. Burton afterward served on the
Pacific Coast several years and in the Civil war. He died with the rank of
Major General. His widow. Dona Ampara de Burton, and son Harry, and
daughter Nellie reside in San Diego County. Capt. Steele is at Scott's Val-
ley,"Cal. Capt. Matsell afterward was a merchant at the city of San Diego;
is living, it is believed, in New York. Of the privates in this daring service
four ;t;r at Los Angeles: Messrs. Peter Thompson, James O'Sullivan, Au-
gust Ehlers and Moses W. Perry.

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 39

Of the native Californians some probably dreamed of help to come
from Mexico through their beloved Governor, Don Pio Pico. In August,
1846, he had set out for the capital, leaving them his assurance of re-inforce-
ments. But by this time the better portion of the people had become con-
vinced that further opposition must be unavailing. Their cherished iustitu-
tion — the Ayuutamiento (Town Council), which'had closed its sessions July
4th, 1846, at the first sound ot war — was restored in every detail according
to their old laws. The familiat words "-Dios y Libertad " (God and Liberty),
authenticated their official communication among themselves as if the Mex-
ican banner were flying. The election took place February 10th, 1847, the
first meeting February 20tli. Its members were : First Alcalde and Presi-
dent, Don Jose Salazar ; Second Alcalde, Don Enrique Abila ; Reo-idores
(Council-men), Don Miguel N. Pryor, Don Rai^xel Gallardo, Don '^Julian
Chavez, Don Jose Antonio Yorba; Sindico (Treasurer,) Don Jose Vicente
Guerrero ; Secretary, Don Ygnacio Coronel.

Its record is creditable 'to their probity, intelligence, economy and zeal
for the public good. Owing to misunderstandings between this body and
■ the military commandant, Col. Stevenson, at the end of December it was dis-
solved by Gov. Ricliard B. Mason, and January 1st, 1848, Stephen C. Foster
as Alcaide by military appointment, took the place of the Ayuutamiento
with like jurisdiction over a wide stretch ot country beyond the limits of
the city. This office he held until May 21st of the ensuing year, displaying
superior skill in its various and often difficult business. The Irrigation sys-
tem every season had been a source of perplexity to the officers, and incon-
venience and losses to the people, who never could find more than some tem-
porary expedient to keep up the toma (dam) so necessary for the cultivation
of the one hundred and three vineyards and gardens then existing. In Feb-
ruary after his appointment, by a measure firmly executed at insignificant
cost to each proprietor, he put it in a condition that was not disturbed until
the great freshet of 1861— '62.

A thousand things combined to smooth the asperities of war. Fremont
had been courteous and gay ; Mason was just and firm. The natural good
temper of the population favored a speedy and perfect conciliation. The
American oQicers at once found themselves happy in every circle. In sup-
pers, balls, visiting in town and country, the hours glided away with pleas-
ing reflections. For hospitalitj^ the families vv^ere unrivalled througli the
world; and really were glad that it had not been worse at San Gabriel.
■' Men capable of such actions ought not to have been shot," they said in softest
Castilian— admiring the American dash and daring displayed on that occa-
sion. General Andres Pico and his comjmdre Lieutenant Stoneman, made
the race against Sutler Sam Haight and a native turf-man — when Old Oso of
the Picos and Workman, staked by the General and Lieutenant, beat Dr. Ni-
colas Den's "Champion of Santa Barbara," name forgotten, a thousand yards.
On the other side a fascination seized them for the Queen of Angels. Army
officers are believed to be no iudifterent judges of wine. Dr. Griffin savs
the day after their entry — "It is of excellent flavor; as good as I ever tasted
The white wine is particularly fine. I ate of a fine orange. Taking every-
thing into consideration this is decidedly one of the most desirable pl<ices I
have ever been at." Camped on the sandy Santa Ana January 19th on the
return march to San Diego, thought turned back to this "very pleasant place
— we found it so— we lived well and had the best of wine." At San Dieo-o
in December before, their reception had been if possible warmer from tluit
ever enthusiastic and generous people. Don Juan Bandiui and wife, Dona
Refugio, had thrown open their mansion to the Commodore. All SanDie^-o
vied one with another to pay him honor and gild the flying moments witli
joy. Don Miguel Pedrorena and his relative, Don Santiago E. Arguello
took up arms for the United States; both went with Commodore Stockton
to Los Angeles. The inhabitants saw the army depart on the 20th in min-
gled sympathy and fear for the result. They welcomed all that returned to
the wonted round of festivities. Tlie Navy recii)rocated the courtesy of (he
people. "On the 22nd, "Washington's Birth-day," says Dr. Griffin "the
Commodore gave an elegant blow out on board of the Congress. The deco-
rations were the flags of all nations ; the ship's deck decidedly the gayest ball

30 LOS AJS^GELES COUNTY

room I ever saw. We had all the ladies from Sau Diego. Eveiythiug went
ofl' in the happiest manner."

An investigation of the causes of misundcrstandinghetweeu Col Stevenson-
and the Ayuntamiento before referred to, is of little importance at the present
day. Probably it -would not be unfavorable to the Ayuntamiento. Accounts
from the best citizeus concur, that the same contidence was felt in Col. Stev-
enson that had been displayed toward the other officers ; as one expresses it,
"all was harmony and pleasure." There were not wanting persons however
-who were not content to keep for themselves a bed of roses. Occasionally
sentinels were disturbed or fancied so by false alarms, in one of which io
December, 18*47,. a little after midnight preparing to load a cannon at the
guard-house, situated on the hillside where is the mansion of Senator Bush,
a careless soldier exploded a box of cartridges. Everything was thrown
into the air — walls, soldiers; some of the timbers fell over into Main Street.
Not one adobe was left standing upon another. Four were killed outright
and twelve wounded, dragoons and men of Stevenson's regiment. It was
immediately rebuilt of adobes. The accident is the more monstrous — this
alarm having been produced by a. sentinel who hailed a horse or cow gi-az-
ing upon the hill, and for want of answer tired. Carefully inquiring among
residents of that period and consulting the archives which are fully extant,,
not the slightest trace of any movement is visible among the Californians
against the existing authorities, nor any real ground for suspicion or alarm
at any time after January, 1847.

We may imagine something of the isolation and suspense of the Amer-
ican forces in California, through 1847, and later, from the accounts we have
of the kind of intelligence received by them concerning events transpiring
nearer the Capital of Mexico. May 6th, 1847— Dr. G. says : " Flying rumors
are said to have reached Monterey that the Castle of Ban Juan de UUoa has
been taken, and that Taylor has had another tight, in which he was victo-
rious." Lieut. Col. Burton, July 9th, brought news of General Scott's two
victories of Vera Cruz and Puente Nacional — a salute was fired in conse-
quence; and August 19th, "the Californians received, via. Sonora, the Mexi-
can papers describing tlie movements of Scott and Taylor ; the taking of
Vera Cruz, and the battle of Puente Nacional." So, at the City of Los
Angeles. Buenavista, on February 23d, had been the last battle of General
Taylor. March 27th, Vera Cruz had surrendered. April 18th, Gen. Scott
Jiad stormed, successfully, Cerro Gordo; the next day he entered Jalapa,
and the populous City of Puebla on the 15th of May. August 20th, Contre-
ras and Churubuzco were carried. September 8th, Molino del Bey; 13th,
Chapultepec ; and, on the 15th, he teok possession of the capital. At Guada-
lupe Hidalgo the Treaty was signed February 8th, and President Polk pro-
claimed peace on the 4th of July, 1848. Under the treaty the United Slates
paid to Mexico $15,000,000.

The "Veterans of the jNIexican War" were organized info a Society, at
the City of Los Angeles, September 27th, 1878. The name and nativity of resi-
dents are as follows:

Officers.— President, Gen. George II. Stoneman, New Yoik; Vice Presi-
dents, Peter Thompson, New York, and W. Todd, Illinois; Seci-otary, .T. D. Duji-
lap, New Hampshire; Treasurer, G. W. Whitehorn, New York; Marshal, Capt..
\Vm. Turner, Isle of Wight,

Executive Committee.— Fenton M. Slaughter, Virginia; Dr. William B.
Dunne, Ireland; Geo. W. Cole, Illinois; G. W. Whitehorn, New York; Robert
T. Johnson, Tennessee.

MEMREE.S.— Province of Maine— Nel.son Willianif-on, Joseph P. W.Hand.
Maine— Stephen C. Foster, Albion C. Libby. New Hampshire— David M. Main.
Vermont— Myron Norton. Rhode Island— Lewis A. Wilniot. New York— Edward

E. Hewit, George Carson, James B. Caywood, Gabriel Allen, George Davis, Jas.
II. Stewart, Abraliam Maricole, Albert Clark. Pennsylvania— Henry C. Wiley,
Janus F. Wilson. IsTaryland- Jonathan Knott, Epbruim Forbush, Joshua Tal-
hott, John J. Mills, Thomas B. Wade, .Tohn P. Sta\ilcs. Distriet Columbia— Geo.
Smith, (icorirr Dig.us. Virginia— Dr. Jolm S. Cirilhn, Thomas Enrouglity, James
W. Spratt, /\rc!iir ('. Jt ssie. Pleasant Evas, William W. Liown. North Carolina
-Robert C. l!wl:M)n, William C. Hughes, L.-.vis (J.Green. Toiinossoe— Tlioma.s
J. Ash, Kolicrl 1\ Jolmsoii, Joseph Ih-idgoj-, J<il;n T. D:ivi.«, V.'m. T. liendevson,

F. H. Alexander, Keirjamiu D. Wilson, James M. Smith, Anderson \Vright.
Kentucky— Charles M. iK'nbrook, James H. Easton, Pinckn. y C. Mol!oy,Sha.p!ey
P. Ross, ".!;imes Tliompson, James W. B. Davis. Ohio— Wilson Beach, Charles
Chancy, Isaih Smitli, Ciracia C. Norris, Marcus Serrott, Augustus C. Chauvan.

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 31

Illinois— Andrew J. Cole, Charles O'Niel. Georgia— Clement C. Goodwin, John
P. H. Chew. Pauldo G. Rushmorc. Soutli Carolina^Allen W. Neighbors. Mls-
eissippi— Edward J. C. Kewen, Edward H. Cage. Indiana— James W. Taggari,
F. M. Matthew. Ireland— Matthew St. Clair Gardner, David W. Alexander, Paul
Ryan, Nicolas Keating, Michael Halpin. Canada— Elijah T. Moulton. England-
John Roach, John V. Moore, William O. Baxter, Robert W. Allen. Germany-
August Ehlers, John Shumacher, Augustus Tipple, Valentin Mand. Austria —
Gotfried Voight. Russia^Alexandcr Haurwied. Prussia— Augustus W. Timms,
Philipine Islands— William P. Reynolds.

Deceased members were Jolian Carl Escrich, Andra Welnshank, John
Reed, and Thomas atandifer— the last dying June, 1875.

The Treaty of Guadalujie Hi.lal-T) was ratified May 30% 1848. The-
news did not reach Los Aiiyeles until Aui^ust lit'teeuth. In the same month
were celebrated the nuptials of Stephen C. Foster and Dona Merced Lugo,
dau£;hter of Don Antonio Maria Lugo. Don Antonio Maria died in 18G0. He
was born in 1775, at the Mssion of San Antonio de Padua. A link between two
centuries— his name a household word throughout California. In the same
month, or July, ex-Grovernor Don Pio Pico returned to Los Angeles from
Guaimas, having effected nothing during his absence of two years. The
Mexican Government neglected all his representations, and finally refused to
permit him or his Secretary, Don Jose Matias jMoreno, to visit the capital. It
was a patriotic dream which he had indulged for his native land. The cold
policy of Mexico seems to have parted with this remote region, without a single
regret. Don Pio has lived to a green old age, none the less honored for having
been the last Mexican Governor of California. In September, Col. Stevenson
left for San Francisco. January, 1849, a squadron of Second Dragoons, Major
Montgomery Pike Graham commanding, fresh from Mexico, was posted at
this city. His officers were : Captain Kane Quartermaster ; Captain, D. H.
Rucker ; Lieutenants, Cave J. Couts, Givens, Sturgiss, Campbell, Evaus, and
Wilson. Captain Rufus Ingalls was here in this year as Quartermaster. The
arrival of Major Graham relieved Company C, First Dragoons, which then
inarched for Sonoma, under its officers as before mentioned, and the Surgeon
Dr. Griffin.

Commodore Robert Field Stockton was born at Princeton, New Jersey,
in 1796 ; was distinguished by his naval services in the Mediterranean and
other seas. California owes to him its first press and first ptiblic school
house, under American rule. In 1851, he represented his native State in the
U. S. Senate, and succeeded in having the passage of a law abolishing
flogging in the navy. He died October 7th, 1866.

General Stephen Watts Kearny was born at Newark, New Jersey, Aug.
30th, 1794. In June, 1846, he was made Brigadier General in command of
"the Army of the West," and took possession of New Mexico, established a
provisional government, and marched for California. He died at Saint
Louis, Missouri, October 31st, 1848.

Of the original command of General Kearny, Lieutenant Warner was
killed at Goose Lake, in the northern part of this State, in 1849, by Indians,
Captain William Emory is Major General, U. S. A. Lieutenant Stoneman is on
th.e retired list, with the rank of Brevet Major General- resides on his farm near
Los Angeles City. Lieutenant J. B. Davidson is Brevet Brigadier General. Major
Thomas Swords, Quartermaster, is retired. Captain A.J. Smith was a General
In and resigned after the Civil War. Captain Turner resigned after the Mexican
War. Dr. Griffln resigned in 18-54. Captain Turner became partner in the bank-
ing house of Lucas, Turner & Co., San Francisco— the same house with wliich
General Sherman was connected, James R. Barton, Captain Alexander Bell,
Daniel Sexton, and John Reed were of the volunteers with Kearny. Sexton
resides at the City of San Bernardino. John Reed was First Sergeant of Captain
Hensly's company, under Fremont, at the occupation of Los Angeles, August,
1846; he was born in North Carolina; died July 13th, 1875, aged 57 years, at his
farm, Puente, in this county. He married the only daughter of John Roland;
Bhe survives him. John Carl Eschrich, so familiarly known to the Californians
as " Don Carlos," of Stevenson's regiment, died at the age of 52 years, June lOth,
1874; he was a native of Germany. Don Miguel de Pedrorena died Marcli ,30th,
1850, in San Diego Countj'. Don Santiago PJ. Arguello in 18,59, at his R.uu-lio La
Punta, in same county. A soldier wlio sei-ved out of California, Andra Weii\-
8hank,born in Bavaria, died at this city February IGth, 1874, aged ,',l years, lie
was at Vera Cruz, and all tlie bal-tles on' Scott's line. Elijah T. Moulton, of tho
Fremont battalion, resides at Los Angeles. Of the privates of Company C, First
Dragoons, ai'o resident at this city: George Washington Whitehorn, born at Pen-
nington, Monroe County, New York, 1,S>1; Wm. Burden Dunne, Cork, 1818; and
in this county, ISIichacl Halpin, born at Limerick, 1823. Company K, Lieutenant

S3 LOS ANGELES COUNTY

Johnson commandlnG:, and Comnany C, Captain Ben. Moore, formed the escort
of General Kearny after leaving Rio Grande— the rest having been sent back at
Socorro, on meeting Kit Carson, with despatches from Commodore Stockton,
announcing the conquest of California. The day before the battle on San Pas-
cual Johnston was promoted to a Captaincy. On December 7th, before the march
from the battle ground, the men of Company K were incorporated into Com-
pany C. On Chri'stmas eve, 1S4G, Don Pedro C. Carrillo sailed from Sau Diego
with Captam Hamly (of the whaling sliip Stonington), on the brig Malecli-Adel, as
bearers of despatches to Fremont, who was expected to be found at Santa Bar-
bara. He was Receptor (Collector) of San Diego, under the Mexican authority,
when Captain Dupont, in the sloop of war Cyane, took that port. He was then
appointed Judge of First Instance of San Diego District. In 1847, he was made
U. S. Collector of Sauta Barbara; in 181S, Judge of First Instance of that District.
In 1854, he represented Santa Barbara County in the Assembly of this State; the
same year he was apjiointed, ))V President Pierce, Surveyor of Customs for
f^anta Barbara, whieli oiQce he held until 18(31. He resides at Los Angeles City.

This civic-mi] itaiy rule lasted from January 1st, 1848, to May 21st, 1849.
On the 17th of that month, under an order of Maj. Graham, Los Angeles
ceased to be a military station of the United States. The new Ayuntamiente
was inaugurated on the 21st. Its members were: First Alcalde and Presi-
dent, Don Jose del Carmen Lugo; Second Alcalde, Don Juan Sepulveda,
Eegidores, Don Jose Lopez, Don Francisco Ruis, Don Francisco O'Campo,
Don Tomas A. Sanchez"; Sindico, Don Juan Temple; Secretary, Don Jesus
Guirado. "Ord's Survey" of the city and other w^ell conceived measures
attest their usefulness. Their successors holding from January 2nd to June
29th, 1850, were : First Alcalde and President, Abel Stearns ; Second Alcalde,
Ignacio del Valle ; Regidores, David W. Alexander, Benjamin D. Wilson,
Jose L. Sepulveda, Manuel Garfias; Sindico, Francisco Figueroa ; Secretary,
Jesus Guirado. Upon going out of office as Alcalde in 1849, Stephen C.
Foster was appointed Prefect' by Governor Bennett Riley. This was a
stormy period for officers of the city ; the records show that their duty was
well performed. To the care of Prefect Foster and Alcalde Stearns then—
and to the first named gentleman since— are we much indebted for the pre-
servation of tlie city and county archives, and for tlie admirable order of
aiTangcmeut in which they are found.

From the year 1836, or a year or two before, Mr. Stearns had always
figured through their local adm'iuistrations, in one manner or another, bene-
ficially to the people. He wns born at .Salem, Massachusetts; spent con-
siderable time in Mexico; came to I^os Angeles in 1828; his business a
merchant. His fortune seems to have begun about 1843. He obtained
several large grants of land, in this county and elsewhere. He was a mem-
ber of the Constitutional Convention of 1849, and of the State Legislature;
always a prominent and useful citizen until his death, at Sau Francisco,
August 33d, 1871, at tlie age of 73 years. He married Dona Arcadia, daughter
of Don Juan Bandini. J3ona Ysidora, daughter of Don Juan, was married
to Colonel Cave J. Couts April 4th, 1851. Colonel C. is before mentioned as
Lieutenant in INLajor Graham's command. Col. C. resigned his commission
in November foU'owino-; established the Rancho of Guajome, in San Diego
County. He died wealthy, at the City of San Diego, June 10th, 1874, leav-
ing his widows four daughters, and fo'ur sons. Don Juan Bandini came to
California in 1819, and for many years filled a considerable space in the pub-
lic view. He was Administrador of the Mission San Gabriel in 1839 ; one of
the Ayuntamiento of Los Angeles in 1844; member of the Departmental
Assembly at its suspension, onlhe approach of the U. S. forces, August 10th,
184G, but at that date was at home in San Diego. He had partly written a
history of California at the time of his death, which took place at this city,
November 3d, 1859, at the age of fifty-nine- years. He was a profound
thinker, a clear, forcible writer. Don Juan was twice married; his first
wife. Dona Dolores Estudillo, daughter of Don Jose Estudillo, formerly the
distinguished military commander of ?.Iontery ; his second. Dona Refugio
Arguello. Both ladies possessed sinc-nlar beauty. Of the first marriage, are
Mrs. Robert S. Baker, Mrs. Cnuts, ?>irs. Pedro C. Carillo, and two sons, Jose
Maria Bandini and Juanito Bandini. Of the second, are IMrs. Cluirles R.
Johnson, Mrs. Dr. James B. Winston, and three sons, Juan de la Cruz Ban-
dini, Alfredo Bandini, and Arturo Bandini.

CENTENNIAL lIIbTORY. 33

It was a pretty incident — tlie manufacture of tlie first American flag on
iiii-; Paeilic Coast." On arrivin.^ a£ San Diego, in the Fall of 184G, Coiumo-
duro Stockton, awhile, was kept almost in a state of siege. Beef was indis-
pensable for immediate demand, and beef, horses, and work-oxen, for further
operations by land. Don Juan Bandini then was at his Eaucho of Guada-
lupe, eighty miles south of San Diego. In order to secure necessary supplies
a stmng force, under Tdajnr lloisly, wa-i sent into Lower California; and at
(liiadcihipe obtained 5l)0 liead of catlic, '3^i'J borscs, and eight carretas, drawn
by oxen. Don Juan and family ;i.:;c."-u;ii!iii'd him on the return march.
Joyfully all had reached La Punui ■.. . i i ih.'en miles of San Diego, when
the Major observed that he was v, ; - . '.,_, tn crnv,:i his triumphal eutiy
into the post. Woman's thought i -' i .. :> ;iii ci^ir-vn^y. Dona Refugio
offered to work one on tlie spot. L\li\v 1; )li : inison) and ^uuilier

.Margarita (Mrs. V/iuston) wo.\' the r,_\l r.n 1 bi .; i-arne to hand—

and an impromptu Star-S;);)'::'!! !*, mi- :■ • r ■ - :iied in air,cheered

the rest of the march. 'I'l;, U> uuj iair nudvcr, from all the

grand music of Congris- ,; -i^ited the event, and the third

day thereafter the gift v.n ..... ■- person, by Commodore and

ofiiccrs. Impressively, as lie ab/v, !, he said to" that amiable lady:

" Whatever you may asii of the V'^ i shall Ije granted." Although

she believes she has just claims, tii.-; i^'" ^"^ laireqnited.

Her father whom v.-e have Ijefore mentioned, Don Santiago Arguello,
was born at Montci'ej^ son of Don Jose Dario Arguello, Governor of both
Californias, and brother of Don Jose Arguello, ^vho was afterwai'd Governor
of Alta California,. Don Santiago married Don;; Pilar Ortega, of Santa Bar-
bara, both very \'oiuig, thei'e being two years di.'Vereare in their ages. They
had twenty-two children, lie died November 7th, 1802, at tiie age of 74 years.
Five children survive, and Dona Pilar, with ;i very large number of grand
children and great grand children. Dona Cunceptiou, one of tlieir daughters,
was married to Don Agustin Olvera. One of their grand daughters is the
wife of Capt. A. 11. Wilco.x of San Diego; another of W. B. Couts, Esq., of
San Luis Rey. Dona Teresa the only other ilaughter who survives, is married to
Don Jose Maria Bandini of Tia Juana rancho, Lower California, where also
resides the venerable widow.

The Constitutional Convention of this State, adopted the Constitution,
October 10th., 1849 ; it was ratified by vote of the people, November 13th.,
and proclaimed by Gov. Rile}^ December 13th. Besides ?Ir. Stearns, Los
Angeles was represented by Don Jose Antonio Carriilo, Perfecto Hugo Reid,
Stephen C. Foster, and Don Manuel Dominguez. Don JIanuel had honora-
bly filled several responsible stations prior to 1840. He often visits the City.
Mr. Reid died at Los Angeles December 12th, 1852. He was a native of
Scotland, of great intelligence, and always held in high esteem. He wrote
some essays on the history, customs, and legends of the Los Angeles Indians,
and vocabularies of several Indian tongues spoken in this section of the State,
which have been published. Don Jose Antonio Carriilo died at Santa Bar-
bara, April 25th, 1862, aged 67 years.

The first County election was held April 1st. 1850. Three hundred and
seventy-seven votes were cast in the county. The officers chosen were:
County Judge, Agustin Olvera; County Clerk, Benj. Davis Wilson; County
Attorney, Benj. Hayes; County Surveyor, J. R. Conway ; County Treasurer,
Manuel Garlias; County Assessor, Antonio F. Corouel; County Recorder,
Ignacio del Vallc; County Sheriff, George T. Burrill; County Coroner,
Charles B. Cullen.

Don Agustin Olvera, v.'hen elected County Judge, was "Juezde la
Instancia "—Judge of First Instance— of the Los Angeles District, under
appointment of Gov. Riley. He emigrated to California from the Citj^ of
Mexico, and arrived September 16th, 1834. There came at the same time
Don Ignacio Coronel, his wife Dona Francisca Romero, two sons Don
Antonio Franco Coronel and Don Manuel Coronel and four daughters. His
sons have been and still are among our prominent citizens. They formed a
part of the celebrated expedition of Don Jose Maria Hijar and Don Jose-
Maria Padres, which had been organized with infinite care for colonization
in California, especial view being had to select men of charactcr,intelligence

Q

U LOS ANGELES COUNTY

»nd some useful occupation. It consisted of lawyers, pbysiciaus, printer?,
tarpealers, tanners, saddlers, shoemakers, halters, tailors, iaborei-s, and &
coniectioner. Don Joaquin de los Rios y Eios was a surgeon of repute in
Los Angeles and San Diego for several years after 1840, until his death.
Don Francisco Torres, another physician, returned to Mexico. Don Ignacio
Corouel was one of its school-masters; taught in this city for a long time;
afterward confined himself to the duties of Secretary of the Ayuntaiuienfo;
subsequently was a Justice of tlie Peace. Education was especially jiro-
vided for by the Mexican Government in this colony. The Miiisioas had
just been secularized; the iunmxtlon of Ftiellos was therefore contem}>laled.
Accordingly experienced teachers were sent for the Public Schools to V.e estab-
lished at eaca Mission; whicii measure took efiect at the Missions of Santa
Clara, San Jose, San Gabriel i-nd San Luis Key; also at Monterey, and in
the yeai- 1838 at Los Angeles. At the organization, in the year 1841, of the
Pueblo of San Juan de Argueilo — so named in honor of Don Santiago
Arguello — which is generalfy called San Juan Capisti-ano — Don Agustiu
Olvera was appointed "Juez cle Paz" of that jurisdiction, from Santa Ana
to Las Flores. He resided there in 1842, 1843, 1844. It is spoken of as a
well ordered place, with an industrious, contented population. Don Agus-
tiu was admitted as attorney in this the then 1st. Judicial District, in 1853,
and April 11th, 1855, in the'U. S. District Court, in 1856, he was the Receiver
of the Los Angeles U. S. Land Office. At the taking of the city, in 1840, he
was a member of the Departmental Assembly; va such member, acted as
one of the Commissioners in the Cahuenga negotiation. Don Jose Antonio
Carrillo, the other Mexican Commissioner, held the rank of Major General.
Don Ignacio Coronel, boi-n in the city of Mexico, died at Los Angeles city,
at an advanced age, December 19, 1862.

Jonathan R. Scott v, as the first Justice of the Peace, merely taking that
office in order to give his ability to the county organization. He soon tired
of it and was succeeded by J. S. Mallard. Judge Scott 'had been a promi-
nent lawyer in Missouri and wns in the front rank of the Bar at Los Angeles.
He was I'eady for any useful enterprise. In company with Mr. Abel Stearns
he built the lirst brick flouring mill in 1855, and'about two years before his
death he planted an extensiveVineyard. He died September 21st, ISQ4. His
eldest daughter married A. B. Chapman, Esq. His only son has recently
been admitted to the Bar. His widow of a second marriage and family reside
in this city.

The early lawyers aiTiving iu the order mentioned were: Don Manuel
C. Rojo, 1849; Russell Sackett, 1849; Louis Granger, 1850; Beuj. Hayes,
Feb. 3, 1850; Jonathan R. Scott, March, 1850. The last four as well as Mr.
Hartman were overland emigrants. Law books were scarce. A brief pas-
,sage in "Kent's Commentaries" that was found somewhere iu town, decided
an interesting case between the rich Peruvian passenger and libcial French
sea-captain, sometime in March, before First Alcalde Stearns. The Captain
lost, but comforted his attorney, Scott, with a thousand dollar fee, as it hap-
pened, all in live dollar gold p'ieces. In 1850 also came Wm. G. Dryden and
J. Lancaster Brent, the latter with a good library; 1851, I. K. S. Ogier, Ogier
& Rojo, May 81, 1851; 1852, Myron Norton, James H. Lander, Charles E.
Carr, Ezra Drown, Columbus Sims, Kimball H. Diuimick, Henry Hancock,
Isaac Hartman ; 1853, Samuel K. Campbell; 1854, Cameron E. Thorn and
James A. Walson, ("Col. Jack Watson"}; E. J. C. Kewen, W. W. Hamlin.
185G; Alfred B. Ciiapman, 1858; Volney E. Howard, 18G1; Andrew J.Glas-
eell and Col. James G. Howard arrived on the same steamer, November 27th,
1865,from San Francisco. Myers J. Newmark was admitted to the Bar in Sep-
tember, and Andrew J. King'in October, 1859; Don Ignacio Sepulveda, Sem-
tember 6th, 1862. Henry T.' Hazard, son of Ariel M. Hazard, of Evanston,
near Chicago, since when about eight years of age has always resided in this
city, except about six years of absence at College. He is a 'graduate of tlie
University of Michigan, was admitted to the Bar in that State in 18G7, and
the following year in California. Other attorneys prior to 18G0 were Hon. S.
F. Reynolds (afterward District Judge of San Francisco), Joseph R. Gitchell
(in April, 1858, appointed District Attorney), A. Thomas, William E. Pickett,
uasaaeuva & Jones advertised December 13, 1851. This was William Claude

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. :>5

loou, until Apnl 1„th, l,s;)3; attcnvard ycott & (Jraivrr- then Srolt A- T .,n
'ncirPf DSH?f?r'!?'' V"i^='"'^ Questions bethrJ Se'conl^ni^o^^S
FT W H.lh^ rfl>"'- V^-o^^hi!^, '""'^^ =^' residents distinguished lawyers-

T..!"?'^ n' ^^ ^ • P^f ^>y. F. Billings, .C.B.Strode,Wm. drey Jones P W
Tompkins Gregory Yale, John H. Saunders, II. P. Hepburn no to' name

K.X "^'^ '^'^- ;.'eua ivusseu sacKett, 1872; James H. Lander E/ri

Drown, Oo lumbus Suns; Kimball H. Dimmick, 1856; Jame^ A Wa son S
ritSn/ ;': ': ^'t'''^ ■'' New Orleans; Carr, at Washington Ci^^; jSk
Gitclul .],->(, J. Lancaster Brent stood high as a lawyer and S
He re.uas m Louisiana, near New Orleans, and in part repres.
feta.e in the late Democratic National Convention at St Louis Mi
WHS a duent, pretty speaker; in 1852-3, partner of Jiid-. Scott'- rec
dKhite for Judge of the First Judir ial Di.n i-t. ( -: ,,, ' j )rnwi lost b

thestrandi;;^'Sfu:;s;;^;^rL;.:^'^^''■■^"■''^^^'^':i^

leaving a son:-as a man mufl; ,:,1 v-v iv-^e^f^i^ in i ^", '

tessiou. Hon.K.H. Dimmick,: : ., < ■'>\.?l ■i-4r^- r u ^ ^

had been a member of the Const ituUun. i ConV^mi;.: i 1 ,>rr JV^^^h'
Landers was born March 10th, 1829, at New York Ci-r f !,• vras a tiadn-"
ate o Harvard. _ He was an excellent office lawyer. For a in.^ ime ifc v.i
Com- Commissioner, with especial approbation of the Bar Oct ber 15th
^^^}'^''^^^'^^^^^^^S^^i^^'^ohnson, a daughter of Don Sanlia4) Jol m-'
son so wel remembered among the early business men of this coal befoie
M? Ar^r'^'c^'^Tl f"?"-^"^" ■""'■'^^''■6' of this marriage. In 1873 he marred
^U her'i^t^^:^?''"^"-.^ Bnltimoi-cMd. They^had one daJ^htS- who

cibAlw He died June 10th, 1873. Samilel R.

earlvin iVn;': ■.^n.;died in San Bernardino county

. T.. "r: 1 . . "^ December 1802, near tifty years of

ryy:.^: ,;'• ''"'f' l''"A- ii'-ic in Andrew county, Mo. His memo-

;. ; , i-nary A poem or oration once veau to him, or read by

., ■ ' word tor word years afterward. He was in the habit

wheaiamu,..,::y nnistrating this faculty, to recite in full, pare afte^e o^^

?on T o?nton P^r ''''T'lt -^^^^ ^"^'?" ''''^ '^^^'^''^ '^^^ ^^ this ci/?ii?s
Of H, r • n- *^-VVI''^''''^'' '''' ^ merchant and member of the Citv Council
Of he Imn^ all reside within the citv, save Co!. ]■] ,;. (' Kcweu and (■^'ner.l

n.om?la^iJ'S?ei^S'm-r^"" '^'"W '^'"'^-^ '^=^'" '" ^^ fol^^TSth

-rue?'' u'".i- ')■ f f ■-'^"' ^'^'''^"^' 1-^^^^' ^^•'■'> ^ii!^t^'M.Y)<V.iV? Domin
h to- lis on'- ' -^"^ ^^^;' «^Pt?«^l>e^ l«tl>. l»i=>, ^S^d Ibrty-tive years S
•1 sHl ! . ' - ^'^"^ ^'T '''''"''■^' ^•'^ '"« vineyard and orchard. Ho had been
A .skijliul politician, and was esteemed as a lawyer

■^M "^"i t- --.'b! Norton was born September 2::?(1, 1823, at Bcnninirton, Vt. He

P-Si t Tro?nn;n'S;^«^^'V^"'V^"'^^ '" ^^^? ^'''' '" 1844, ^ntinued lij

, ti r ! ' »"f'l 1H48, when he was appointed tirst Lieutenant of C-il

nia volunteers, ,-md in the Summer of that year arrived at Montefey He

^.s a member ol the Constitutional Convention from San ErancTsco- aftei

n.ud Judge of the Superior (^ourt of San Franci.sco. In 1855 1 ?w-is he

Oemocratic candidate for Judge of the Supreme Court of this S ate He

dwells in the agreeable family of Don Ao-u.stin Olvera, and not en t' el v will,

dra.yn troni business. Don Manuel Clemenle P.ojo, c, fi" 2t'2 ut'

y^^^is a native of Peru, of finished education and cxceniuf^aS'lS^

Tmv .ri-f'^ *•'"''' y'^;'':'"-*''''^'^'"" Sub-Political Chief of the Eroniier of

,; r^ n^''f '''V\'' ^"!* '•' Practi^-ing his profession tlu-re with niaik d lis

m ;.,-vf^.i,?''^ emigrant named Williams, throwing out of 1 w h^oi al

most ex ei3 fuing else, saved hi^ son's law librarv. They rea'-licd J( ' n 1

;3^ Ar,-'^''p^ '''•,'^-'\ ^''^ "'"'^i'ious young attornej? SuVL eye o e

h r i • P ;!',""'' "" 1^"' ';'"=" ^'^""'"'^ «^3^'^'' «"'^i««^ complcteioi and

%u,,Mrv'^:'^t\']7^~^^^ with them' since.

Min. V • ' of 18;)0, was puilc!ilious,perha{)s formal, but affable- -uid

• rou J i^':'*;":^^'""""' ''^^V" "'^''V'y ^^^-^^^'^^^'oi-d which he wo V n mibHc

hehu^'ii;!cd!;i:oo^;^^,r^^iiEri^^^

§6 LOS ANGELES COUNTY

^vas Iicro of a "scene in Court," one ];rii_iit ra'tcriioon in the Summer of 1850.
JiKlgc Witberby was hearing au ^njiiicT.iioLi toj- )):iil, on a charge of murder
against three native Californians. ' Th;' i nrge i com is not to he recognized,
with Use changes of the Bella Uiiioii. Lpon a side bench logcther'sat the
prisoners, '['lie Judge, Thomas 'W. 8ulherland (acting__l)istrict Attorneyj,
Benj. Haves (County Attorney), Clei-k— and counsel, J. Lancaster Breiit;
present, none others — save twt'lve, iieice, determined fellows, "armed lo the
teeth,'' hiiddlcd np in tlie farcorner. I'reliiiiinarics disposed nf — culm con-
teiit smooliicd the face of Sheritf B., that sword by his sitie, wlien appeared
eight-en of the 1st Dragoons, at the critic;d moment. Tiiey dismounted, tied
iheir liorses io the Cells balcony — Lafayette now— and felf into line in front
of the building. Bond approved, a SaVgeant led the accused outside, placed
"them on. hnrsehaek betv,'een his liles, aval so conducted them home: a pin
might ]ia\-e been lieard to drop, and in the stillness, the Court adjourned.
Major E. ][. i'itzgerald had encamped the night before, on the edge of town.
This_wasthp pi'.^.<:r j)ut at the service of Sheriif B., and that left Inm jdeased
infinitely at its etlecl, almost like a charm, upon this famous "Irving party''
in the corner. By the by, Los Angeles SheriU's have many an interesting in-
cident in their careers— "David W. Alexander, lyoo, and olfiers. Mr. Biu'rill
died Feb. 2d, l!s56.

California wa.s admitted into the Uiiion Septemb.er Otli, IP-oO. Some of
of the principal othces, ^^lnce bs.jO, liave been lilled as follows: District
Judge— Oliver S. Witherliy, three years; Benjamin Haye.s, eleven years; Pab-
lo de la Guerra, Murray Mcrris.m,"' B. }[. Vriiluey; Ignacio Sepulveda, 1S7G.
County Judge— AgT.st in Olvei'a, four vea.rs; Myron Norton, Kimball H.
Dimmick, Vvilliam G. Dryden, Audre^v J. Jving, Ignacio Sepulveda; H. K.
8. O'Melveny, 1876. County Clerk— Benjamin D. '\A'ilson, Wilson W. Jones,.
Charles R. Johnson, John W. Shore, Thomas D. l^Iott, Stephen 11. Mott; A.
W. Potts, 187(). Sheriff— George T. Burrill, David W. Alexander, James R.
Barton, Wra. C. Getman, James^K. T3:irl(ai, (nuu'dered Friday, Jan. 2:]d, 1857,
while in the discharge of oflicial dutv), Tomas A. Sanchez, James F. Burns,
Williani R. Belaud ; D. W. Alexander, 1870. "Wm. Getnmn died Ja.nuary
7!h, 1858. County Treasurer — Manuel Garlias, now American Consul, Tepic,
IMexico ; Timothy Foster, Henry N. Alexander, Morice Kremer, Thomas E.
P.ow^an; Francis P. F. Temple, 1876. ^*?)istrict Attorney— William C. Ferrel,
now a mountain farmer of Lower California; Isaac S. K. Ogier, Sept. 29th,
1851 ; Kimball II. Dimmick, appointed July 10th, elected November 29th,
1S52; Benjamin S. Eaton, October ;jd, ISSo;' Cameron E. Thorn, October 3d,
1854; Ezra Drown, Alfred B. Chapman, A^olney E. Howard, A. B. Chai)man,
C. E. Thorn, V. E. Howard; Rodney Hudson, 1876. County Assessor— Anto-
nio F. Coronel, 1850-1856; Juan Sepulveda, 1857-1858; W. W. Maxy, 1859-
1860; J. McManus, 1861; G. L. Mi.x, 1862-1864; J. Q. A. Stanly, 1865-1866;
Manuel F. Coronel, 1867-1868; 1869-1875, Dionisio Boteller; Andrew Ryan,
1876. County Recorder— Ignacio del Valle, 1850-1851 ; (Recorder and County
Clerk united); J. W. Gillett, March 1st, Monday, 1874; Charles E. Miles,
March 1st, Monday, 1876. Court Commissioner (District)— George Clinton
Gibbs.

The present County ofGcers not above just mentioned are: Under
Sheriff— II. Milner Mitchell. Deputy Sheriffs— Wm. L. Banning, Emil Har-
rris. Deputy County Clerks— E. H. Owen, D. AV. Maclellan. Deputy
County Treasurer— E. M. Spence. Deputy Recorder— George E. Gard. Au-
ditor—Androuico E. Sepulveda. Tax Co'llector— Morice Kremer. County
Surveyor— T. J. Ellis. Deputy Assessors— M. Ryan, W. H. A. Kidd. Coro-
ner—Dr. Joseph Kurtz. School Superintendent— Thomas A. Saxon. Super-
visors—Geo. Hines (Chairman), Gabriel Allen, Edward Evy, John D. Young,
J. C. Haunon. Justices of the Peace (city)— John Trafford, Pedro C. CaiTiL
lo, William H. Gray.

Don Ignacio Sepulveda, present District Judge, is a native of this city.
He was educated in the East. Oliver Spencer Witherby was born at Cincin-
nati, Ohio, Feb. 19th, 1815; Benj. Hayes at Baltimore, Md. Feb. 14th, 1815;
Robert M. Widnw, Miami county, Ohio, December 23d, 1838.

Don Pabl 3 de la Guerra was born in the Presidio of Santa Barbara, No-
rember 29th, 1819. He was Slate Senator four terms from the disrict of San-

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. SJt

ta Barbara aud San Luis Obispo, and had been a member of the Constitu-
tional Couventioa of 1849. His term of District Judge commenced January
tst, 1864. He died February 5th, 1874, having a short time before resigned
the Jiidgsliip of the first District, in consequence of ill health.

Hon. Murray Morrison was born at Kaskaskia, Illinois, in 1820; was ad-
mitted tothe Bar "in 1843. In 1862 he married Miss Jennie White, daughter
of Dr. Thomas J. White. In 1868, on the creation of the 17th Judicial Dis-
trict, he was appointed Judge by Gov. Haight; and elected in 1869. He died
at this city December 18th, 1871. Within three days a loving wife follo%ved
him to the tomb.

Hon. Wm. G. Dryden, November 30th, 1851, married ]VIiss Dolores
Nieto. His second wife was Miss Anita Dominguez, daughter of Don ]Manu-
el Dominguez ; married September 30tli, 1868. He died at this city, aged 70
years, September 10th, 1869.

The Board to settle private land claims, organized in this city October,
1852. Commissioners — Ililand JTall, since Governor of Vermont; Harry I.
Thornton, Thompson Campbell. It expired in 1S55. Robert Greenhow first,
then Gen. Volney E. Howard, then John H. McKune have been Lav*' Agents
of the United States; Cameron E. Thom Assistant Law Agent, in 1854. In
.some of the subsequent land cases before the United Stales District Court,
Isaac Ha.-tman Avas Special Attorney, in 1857, under Attorney General Black,
and, in 1881, under Attorney General Bates. The United States District
Court for the Southern District of California was instituted in December,
1855, Hon. John M.Jones, Judge; Pablo de la Guerra, Marshal ; Alfred
Vfheeler, District Attorney; Sauiuel Flower, Clerk. Judge Jones died No-
vember 14th, of that year. In September, 1854, Edward Hunter was ap-
pointed Marshal in place of Pablo de la Guerra, resigned. Judge Ogier suc-
ceeded Judge Jones. Hon. Fletcher M. Haight succeeded Judge Ogier, tod
died at San Francisco shortly after the abolition of the Court by Act of Con-
gress, passed in 1860. As District Attorney, Ogier succeeded Wheeler ; then
Pacificus Ord; then J. R. Gitchell.

Hon. Isaac Stockton Keith Ogier, for several vears Judge, was bora at
Charleston, S. C, May 24th, 1817.' He came to California in the j^ear 1849.
He died at Holcombe Valley, May 21st, 1861. His widow resides at this
city.

The officers of the United States are : Postmaster — H. K. W. Bent.
Register of the Land Othce — Alfred James. Receiver — J. W. Haverstick.
Guager — J. R. Brierly. Deputy Marshal — J. D. Dunlap. U. S. Commission-
er—B. C. Whiting.

Gov. John G. Downey came to Los Angeles in December, 1850. He mar-
ried ^{iss Maria Jesus Guirado, of this city, February 10th, 1852. His dis-
tinguished career belongs to the history of California.

In 1850 this county was represented ia the State Senate by Dr. A. W. Hope;
followed in 1851 and i852 by Stephen C. Foster. The Senators since have been:
18.53, 1854, James P. McFarland; 1855, 185(>, Benjamin D. Wilson; 1857, 1858, Came-
ron E Thom; 1859, 1860, Andre.s Pico; 1861, 1862, John R. Vineyard; 1863, 1864, Hen-
ry Hamilton; 18U5 until 1868, Phineas Banning; 1869 until 1872, B. D. Wilson; 1873
and now, C. W. Bush.

Members of Asseml)ly— 1850, A. P. Crittenden, Montgomery ]\Iartin.
1851, Aliel Stearns, Ignacio del Valle. 1852, James P. ]VIcFarland, Capt.
Jeflerson Hunt. 1853, Charles E. Carr, Edward Hunter. 1854, Francis Mel-
ius, Dr. Wilson W. Jones. 1855, John G. Downey, J. Lancaster Brent. 1856,
J. Lancaster Brent, Edward Hunter. 1857, Andres Pico, Henry Hancock.
1858, Andres Pico, Henry Hancock. 1859, John J. Warner, Andrew J.
King. 1860, Abel Stearns, Murray Morrison. 1861, James A. Watson, Mur-
ray Morrison. 1862, James A. Watson, Edward J. C. Kewen. 1863. 1864,
Ignacio Sepulveda, E. J. C. Kewen. 1865, 1866, William H. Peterson, E. C.
Parrish. 1867, 1868, Asa Ellis, James A. Watson. 1869, 1870, Manuel F.
Coronel, R. C. Fryer. 1871, 1872, Tliomas D. Mott, Asa Ellis. 1873, 1874, J.
W. Venable, A. Higbie. 1875, 1876, John R. McConnell, Frederick Lam-
bourne.

The City of Los Angeles was incorporated by Act of the Legislature,
approved April 4th, 1850. The government was organized July 3d. Mayor,

§8 LOS ANGELEiS COUNTl

A. P. Hodges; Common Council, Da\'id ^Y. Alexander, President; Alexander
Bell, Manuel liiquena, John Temple, Jlorriy L. Goodman, Cristoi)al Aguilar,
Julian Cha%X'z. Recorder, John G. Nichols: Treasurer, Francisco Figueroa;
Assessor, Antonio F^. Coronel; Marshall, Samuel Whiting; Attorney, Ben-
jamin Playes.

The Miiyors since have been, Beujamiu D. Wilson, 1851 ; John G. Nich-
ols, 1S32; Antonio Franco Coronel, 185o; Stephen C. Foster, is.jl; Thomas
Foster, IS.jo; Stephen C. Foster, 4 months— John G. Nichols, residue, 1856;
John G. Nichols, 1857,1858; Damien Marchessault. 1859 ; llenrv Melius,
1860; D. Marchessault, 1861, 1863, 186:3,1864; Jose Mascarel, 1865-'(J6; Cristo-
bal Aguilar, 18G7-'68; Joel Turner, 186[)-'70; Cristobal Aguilar, 1871-'72;
James R. Toberman, 1878-'74; Prudent 15eaudry, 1875—.

Mayors Hodges and Wilson, tliro;ii;h tempestuous times, held the liehn
with lirmuess and foresight. Under the iir.-t term of Nichols Ix'gau Henry
Hancock's survey. August 13th, ll-OJ, is the date of the Donation System
(repealed in 1854), by which thir'iy-ii.e a-ro tracts and other lots were grant-
ed on sole condition of improvemcni, wiih payment of fees. He was Maj'or
again in 1857 and 1858. The uncertainty, apathy, rather, of the public mind
upon the vital question of irrigation may be inferred from a rem;irk in his
message of the former year: 'Tt appears that under the present system of ir-
rigation there is as much land under cultivation as can be supi)lied with
water from the river of the pueblo; but it is believed by our most intelligent
farmers, and by many gentlemen of experience who have visited us, that by
the adoption of !i ditierent system, a suiliciency of water to irrigate the entire
plain l)elow the city could be obtained." But on August 2d, 1858, Zanja No.
2 was provided for, which led to the buildiugof Aliso Mill, and has brought
a large amount of first rate land into cultivation. The survey was long be-
fore that, of Captain, now General E. O. C. Ord, to ascertain the practicabili-
ty of bringing water for drinking and gene;'al domestic uses from the river
oVer the bencli laud; a project supported by 'the business men, but defeated
at the municipal election by an absurd prejudice and superior influence of
leading viueyardists. To resume: Coronel had his hands full. The bulk
of Donation lots was made by him. Stephen C. Foster managed well
through 1854. In January, 1855,he resigned ; within two weeks was re-elect-
ed without opposition; merely a curious circumstance, or a capricious freak,
it might seem, if left unexplained.

October loth, 1854, one David Brown killed Pinckney Clifl'ord, in this city.
This act created deep excitement. A public meeting on the next day was ap-
peased only by the Mayor's promise that if the laws should fail, he would re-
sign and help to punish the murderer. Brcnvn was tried November 30th.
The District Court — Benj. Hayes, Judge— sentenced him to be executed on
the 12th day of January, 1855. The same day had been fixed by that Court
for the execution of Felipe Alvitre, for the murder of James Ellington, in
El Monte. In Brown's case, his counsel, J. R. Scott and J. A. Watson, had
obtaiaed from the Supreme Court a stay of execution. Public expectation
waited for it, but a like stay did not come for the wretched, friendless Alvi-
tre. This still more inflamed the native Californian and Mexican portion of
tlie population. The fatal day arrived, and with it an early gathering at the
county jail of a great multitude of all classes. Meanwhile, the Mayor had re-
signed. Sheriff B;irton posted within the yard an armed guard of forty men.
Alvitre w^ashung the rope broke, he fell to the ground. Arriba! Arri-
ba! (up! up!) Avas the cry from outside— all was instantly adjusted and the
law's sentence carried into effect. ^Vords fail to describe the demeanor then
of that mass of eager, angry men. Suspense was soon over. Persuaded by
personal friends— and in truth the odds against him seemed too great — Sheriff
Barton withdrew the guard. The gate was crushed with heavy timbers, black-
smiths procured, the iron doors, locked and well barred from within, were
forced. Within the next hour Brown was dragged from his cell to a corral
across the street; where, amidst the shouts of the people, he uttered some
incoherent observations, but quickly was hung from a beam of the corral
gate. It is stated credibly, that a w'eek thereafter was received an order
of the Supreme Court, in favor of Alvitre, which had been delayed partly
by tlie bad mail ai-raugements of that time, and more by reason of his appli

CENTEN1SIA.L HISTOHY. 81

eation liaving been first forwarded to llie Governor. Another cp.11 held a third
person condemned for a later day; him the infuriated crowd did not molest.
He was finally allowed a new trial by the Supreme Court, and at Santa
Barbara acquitted.

Thomas Foster succeeded in May of this year. June lf)th he signed th»
first well matured ordinance for establishing and regulating Common Schools.
The first Public Scliool houses were erected; and measures now were seri-
ously fomented to increase the supply of water for agricultural and industri-
al pursuits in tlip Sonth-western portion of the city. He died on his wi.y to
San Fraiici <co, .lap,. C-r^! !i, 1883. He was a native of Kentucky. Re-elected in
1856, Stei-^hcn C. Fo, l-r, after four months, resigned in order to attend to his
executorship of the large estate of Col. Isaac Williams ; the balance of his term
being filled by J. G. Nichols, whose subsequent administration has been al-
ready referred to. Starchessault added the finishing touch to the Market
House— present Court House— Sept. 30th, 1859. Through his subsequent
terras he encouraged plans for a better supply of drinking water by the Sanse-
vaine contract and improvement of tlie city dam ; and also promoted Com-
mon Schools. He was born at Montreal, Canada; died January 20th, 1888,
aged forty-seven years. Henry Mellnsdied, forty-five years ofage, Decem-
ber 27th, IS'iO — liis oiBcial career an image of his own personal suavity and
honor. Mascarel signed the ordinance against carrying concealed weapons,
and a grant of lands'to the Pioneer Oil company. Aguilar approved the am-
ple grant to the Canal and Pvcseiwoir company and opening of the Woolen
Mill ditch, improvements of streets, Wilmington railroad, a new ordinance
for obtaining title to city lands. Turner confirmed the old Mexican pueblo
concession of Don Antonio Ignacio Abila; created the city Board of Educa-
tion April 24th, 1869; provided for Commercial street extension to Alameda,
July 29th ; the three wards, and settlement of controversies with the Canal
and Reservoir company. Toberman reduced the debt $30,000 and left near
that amount in the Treasury"-; brought down taxes from $1.60 to $1.00 upon
each hundred dollars of valuation. Since the charter of 1874,'city legislation
has been fruitful of measures v\-hich we leave, togetlier with many of prior
date omitted above, to take up the thread of travel through labrynths of the
remoter past. '

The discovery of "Tlie Mines " in the year 1S4S, carried away many of
the native population; created a new demand for the horses and cattle which
the rancheros could so amply supply; brought a multitude of emigrants
from Sonora, as w^dl as from the United States ; left the people at home here
in a state of perpetual exaltation and excitement. During the summer of
1849 and winter and spring of 1850, Los Angeles was a thoroughfare of trav-
el. Few could be induced to stop long. Every head was turned toward
El Dorado. Through the summer of 1850 thirty Americans could be count-
ed, and most of these without families. With or without means the in-com-
ers had crowded forward; seldom destitute, for their necessities when known
had met a generous response from the bounty of the 'Lugo family' at San
Bernardino, a Williams at Chino, a Rowdand and a Workman at La Puente.
Nor only from these — Native Califoruian liberality everywhere opened its
full liand to the way worn-stranger.

With the people of Los Angeles 1850 was a year of enjoyment, rather
than of earnest pursuit of riches. Money w^as abundant. All sought to
make the mo.st of the pleasures of life, as "it seemed.

They were passionately fond of the turf. They might justly boast of
their horses, wdiich liad sometimes drawn applause at the capital of Mexico.
Now and for many successive years they gave full play to this passion.
August 16th, 1851, Don Pio Pico and compadre TeodosioYorba gave their
printed challenge "to the Nortii" with bold defiance — "the glove is thrown
down, let him who will take it up " — for a nine mile race, or four and a half
and repeat, the stake 1,000 head of cattle worth $20 per head, and $3,000 in
money; with a codicil, as it were, for two other races, one of two leagues
out and back, the other of 500 varas— $2,000 and 200 head of full grown
cattle bet on each race. March 21st following the nine mile heat was run
two miles south of the city, between the Sydney mare. Black Swan, uacked
by Don Jose Sepulveda, and the California horse, Sarco, staked by Don Pio

40 LOS ANGELES COUNTY

Pico and Don Teodosio, the challengers. The mare won by T.") yards in 19
minutes and 20 seconds. Sarco the i^revious spring had run 9 ]\Iexican miles
in 18 minutes, 46 seconds. Not less than fv50,000 must have changed hands.
More deserves to l^e said of what the Californiaus tell of this exciting race.
April 2nd the American mare, Nubbins, beat tb.e American horse, Bear Meat,
on the Wolfskin track by ten feet- distance 400 yards— for 400 cows. The
year before Don Jose Sepulveda's California horse beat Don Pio's American
horse half a length, for |2,000 in money and 500 head of cattle. Probably
the careru is still talked of, of November 20th, 1851, at Santa Barbara, when
Francisco Noriega's horse, Buey do Tango, beat Alfred Robinson's horse.
Old Breeches, wifh a chanc:e of Sc"20,000 among hands. In SejUember, 1852,
Don Andres Pico and i^'-n '■-■ '>•■•• mb/ed:) l-id. two race.^, one for $1,000, the
other for $1,600 and :; ': u]i-. (ht.^brr v;ltli v.as t!ie excitinjj; day

of Don Jose's favorite, ..■'■;_, 'n Ir,- i),.,i I'd'aaiulo Sejvalveda, and

Alisan, a S:;nt;i Barbar;i u'/ -■, : ,,. u.-d I);,- ly.Jii Andr<-s l^ic<)— for :]00 head of
cattle and :{; 1 ,600 a sid" ; 4U()}:;rds; Ciuielo came out winner half a length.
The New Years Ball at Don XlvA i-(rani.s' "where all the lieauty and elegance
of Uie city," says tlie ediior in raclliduous Spanish, "contributed that night
to give s)>londor to tlie dance," was followed on the tenth by two races.
The end of Lent and all the gr-imder festivals were partly enjoyed in this
way. January 20th, l.sr,3, was to be run tlie race of Ito, brought "seven hun-
dred miles, against Fred. Coy, stake ftb.),flOO. The natives were cautious and
it was forfeited ; but in March ]Moore A' Brady's horse John Smith beat
Powell's mare Sar.'di Jane for $2,100, by about a length. April 12, Buck-
horne, an American horse, ^\-;is ietl through the streets, gaily decked oil' as a
banter; Don Pio Pico otlercd to l)ack him against anj-nag in this i)art of
the State; no takers," cpnilh the Star. Not to be disappointed of s]3ort, on
the 19th, they h;;d Don Jose Scpulveda's horse Muchacho against Moore's
7;iM/!e for $550 a side: the horse won! In February 1857, Don Jose Sepul-
veda'3 horse Pinto easily ijeat J)ou Pio's Dick Johnson at San Gabriel, for
$3000 ;and March 5th, Don Jose beat the Gonzales brothers at San Fernando
for $2,000. Through the later years heavier stakes than any we have men-
tioned were lost and won by Don Juan Abila and others, except, perhaps,
that of Black Swan asid S;irco. Of ;i very early day some of the races
occupy many jiages of the archives. ,Oue tasked the best ability, as Alcalde,
of the venerable Don Manuel Dominguez; one drew out a profound decision
of Don Jose Antonio Carrillo, of the Supreme Court. The Governor did not
disdain to lay dov^-n rules for racing. In his manuscript diary we have the
authority of Mr. Francis Melius, visiting Los Angeles from one of the Boston
ships at San Pedro, for the race of Mose'Carson, brother of Kit Carson, on
January 20th, 1840. Mose had a heavy bet on two races for that day. The
tirst he won, despite the salt that — for luck — Iiad been put in all the holes of
tlie stakes on the course, and of the little bag of salt and wax caudle and
silk cotton astutely concealed in the mane of the opposing horse. But it
ruined ]\Iose's reputation, and mayhap dainaged his purse. He was set
down as an HecJncero (sorcerer) by his Sonoranian antagonist and the
second race fell through.

The first three American families i)ermanently settled in the city, in 1850,
were those of J. G. Nichols, J. S. iMallard, and Louis Granger. Joim Gregg,
son of Mr. Nichols, was the first American boy born — April loth, 1851.
Among the novelties of a strange region, emigrants could not fail to notice
the vivacity and robustness oflhe native-born children, and the large pro-
portion of persons of an advanced age. April 24th, 1858, died at Santa Ana,
Dona Guadalupe Romero, aged 115 years, leaving a son, in the city, upwards
of 75 years. She came here in 1771, wife of a soldier named Moreno. Where
Downey Block stands, we miss the time worn, little old gentleman who was
wont to sit there all day before the humble adobe— cared'for by two faithful
daughters, after the mother had left the scene. A soldier of by-gone days, to
Judge from the antique dress which he delighted to wear; in the same he
was'buried, at the age of 92 years, July 29th, 1859. This was Don Antonio
Valdez, who had served at San Diego, San Gabriel, and Santa Barbara, and
in many an Indian chase or combat. The men appeared to fine advantage,
ia showy old style ranchero attire, on their gay and spirited horses. Of the

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 41

ladies, few words iniglit ycarce reilect the tru(3 judgmeut of an csryvif;;//';;-!);
certes, it was adiniratioii of cleg;inc.e and naivete and kindness all with good
sense and wit so happily Wended, In' some rare gift of Nature. That vener
able religious [.lih; on the plaza did not have jie\vs. To see them kneeling ic
vari-color(!d .--ilks i.f liiat time — and their nhoHin-: — what gorgeous garden
imaginable of dahlia and tulip of every hue could eharm' half so much?
Then a perpetual bailr — but ISoO is gone, or fashions liave changed, perliajis

Of the one liuiuhed and tliree proprietoi's of town-farms in 184N, befor(
referred to, eight .were foreigners: Abel Stearns, Louis Bouchet, Louis S'iuju.-.
Juan Domingo, ?diguol N. Pryor, Yvilliam Vt^olfskill, Louis Lcmorcaii.
Jo-seph Siioolcs — an Englishman, a German, tliree Frenedi, three "Yankees"- —
so has the city ever been, cosmopolitan. Uudei' the sound policy adopted At
the l)('g!!i;ung. fur the disposition of pueblo lands, the n.:itural course in Imsi-
ness, an;i i'.iiiu'.y clKUiges, the !)ro[)riel.irslui) of real property is mucli altered.
Those of .Spani'sh origin, v;lio numijer ;!,<'!i:)!) s(;uls witliin tii.' city, and ;i!.iou!
an equal nuinber outride in Ih" coui'.l\% j-etain good a- vi' •, :■-: ,: i ,
Within the jiiitent of the city are 17,7.12';tcres. Tiee i.^ :
fruit trees — and ornamental too — is remaikabh;. In iNii^pi- , _ '. o - ;
out two hundred young walnut trees; o;iiy three bearing are remuubercd—
one on the east side of Don Louis Vigne.^' phiee, one larger in the middle of
the Pryor Vineyard, another, very large, (jf Claudio Lopez. Tiie almond was
unknown. San Pernaud(> and San Gabriel had a fev,- olives. Long before
1S4(), tlie Gadifornians had the tig, apricot, peach, pear, and quince. Tlie
Gounty Surveyor's Ileport of January 1st, ISTG, gives fruit trees as follows:
(?/uinee, l,-i.;.l'; ap.ricct, 2,(;!)'>; lig, ^,000; pear, "r),80U ; apple, 8,590; peach,
l^.'-iOO; olive, LMiO; English v.alilut, (i,000 ; plum, 300; there are also idierrics.
h\ ly.jij, there were (Mo walnut trees. Tlie value of the fruit crop of IST."; vv'as
$525,0f»O. Plums were introiliiced by O. \V . GliiMs. Se('ds of the :■,,.<,;:
almond, in 185.5, were first planted iiy Wdliani AVoliVkill, whieb wi...
brought from the Mediterraniean by 11. F. Teschenuikci-, of San Frantiseo.
Last Januarv' this county luid 1,100 trees. Gompared witii tl;e meagre agri-
cultural crops from 1847 to 1855, the return for 1875 is : ]5e;uis, 2 1,400 Vmshcls ;
onions, 28,o50 ; buckwheat l,o50; rye, 11,700; wheat, 20,0i)0; barley. 415,050 ;
corn, 039,000; and a respectable shov.ing of hops, tobacco, e"tc. Hay
amounted to 10,250 tons. The enclosed land was 47,500 acres; total in culti-
vatlou G-1,500 acres, of v.iiich 4,S)50 w(,'re in gra])e vines. Add, of honev.
571,230 pounds. O. ^\. Gliilds, in 185G, introduced bees. lie paid .^100, in
San Fraiicisco, for one hive and swarm. Afterwards, vSlierman & Taylor
brought here hives for sale. In 1850, there was one pepper tree, lofty and
wide-branching, over the adobe house of an old lady living near the liills a
.short distance north of the plaza, the seeds of which 'came from a tree in the
Court of the Mission of San Luis Key. January 31st, 18(il, John Temple
planted a row in front of his Main street" store. 'IJiis tlu! utilitarian woodman
has not spared. But all the city is adorned with this graceful tree; and
■flowers of every name and clime — to rival an undying fragrance of the
solitary Rose of Castile twenty years and more ago.

Of other trees that flourish now splendidly., William Rubottom, of
Spadra, introduced pecans; William Wolfskill, persimmon; O. W. Chikls,
in 1850, black walnut — the seed from New York. About the same time H. P.
Dorsey planted black walnut successfully at Sau Gabriel. In 1855, Solomon
Lazard imported seeds of the Italian chestnut from Bourdeaux, France, which
Wm. Woolfskill planted at his homestead, and afterward gave two of the trees
to Heman C. Cardwell. These trees, now large and productive, may be seen
at O. W. Childs' i)lace. J. L. Sansevaiiie also brouglit chestnut seeds from.
France, about 1855.

As in older times, every full moon in 1850 the counliy was invaded by
the Yutahs, under their famous chief. Walker,- to steal horse stock. E.xpedi
tionsseut after him were in general unsuccessful, now and then unfortunate;
as happened in June, wlien he took off seventy odd of the best horses of Don
Joso Maria Lugo, near the present Colton. One of the pursuing party was
killed by him. Before that the New Mexicans of Agua Mansa had been a
barrier to the incursions ot these Indians, without always preventing them.
In this year a volunteer company was raised by Gen. Bean, owing to liostile

I' CilnillasorR^.uUo",

)'!io

Al> )i t

Jim-^ (h" "Irving

\M u killed ]i_\ the Iml

I h^

. 1 th { 1

■'^ -f DoniNiv

il_. of the on carina] t\\ 'ji

f

1.0(1, ill

1 !< <ii .iiv shel-

Juan xVntonio^thi' T, Jiai

1 thr

boUlnc.

. t:i oti> 1 1 cht to

^'■'i LOS ANGP]LES COUNTY

demo' 'i I iv 1 , h^

p!Ul\ I "• 1 i

ria A i < >,

ter ofs n,(_ !ir-,Iic

Bean. The ii-,intj; of Autonio Cnrra, ( liief of Agua Cnlicnte, in the 1 ill of
1851, '"1)1 ( ad f' i: tiirough Lo^ An j,elc-, ot a general in^iirreclion, fn m San
'' '> I ' T'li ' ■ The d inger ^oi>D pa scd awa/ The regulai^ and S m Die
■re iinc'ei C .[ihiin Gcoi^e Fii7gerald G'n J IT I>'in
'I 1 'I'll, Los Auiitles \(>luntei-, >L ron NoVton, Colonel and Chi. t of
Stati,,- I'olrwir Cox a-! 1 B S Ealou, CoVporalb. Hon. II. C R'jlfe, V^in
K'ordholdt — and many .Uio iie dead — v ere in fecrvice ou the ocei'^ion E'-ti
mable lor m my \iuue-,, Gen Va n nut an untimely end, at San Gabriel
Scjit i'tii, I'-")] Our expo-.c'l ]' - In i 1 'i a long time thereafter, in tlie Kcm
n\(i I'.il "'l'.;a\c V. r.^, and nV <i (,o '>! , L< pt amoin^t n<^ officers of the U.
S aim ', and ne.t seldom in ai ti,( sci'.n^ TIrn j o >- - d lb" i'^"ard of the
people— Col B Beall, :Majors Ldwaid II Fit/gl'i M a 1 ■"■ .i _ > R Blake.
Caplains Da\idson andLo\cll, ' " Geui'i d \\ inh 1 ' Seod Hancock,

^ ^ -. Lively recollections then :e of the .splendid ])aud of tlic 2d
Dragoons, Fort Tejon, that made m-v- j.you^ the "Fourth of July, 1855,"
with General Banning as orator of the '1 .y ;"agai:i, when Hon. Myron ISTorton,
in 1857, stirred up patriotic feelings. Tlie day bad been kept from the besrin-
aiag. Maj. Edward H. Fitzgerald lies in tlie'Catholic Cemetery, Los Ange-
les. He died JanU'iry 0th, 1360, of eonsmnption.

A quarter of a century, whereof reminiscences come involunlarily,is wor
i by of review. A record of crime mu.st have attended this progress ' in man-
ni.-rs nml government. For one reason or another the people felt compelled
often to "take the huv into their own hands." Those morad tempests which
agitated the eommunity to its depths, slumber, v* e trust, to rise no more, iu
this better social condition.

For physicians, 1850 had Wm. B. Osborne, A. P. Hodges, W. W. Jones.
A. W. Hope and Overstreet; in 1851, John BrinckerhotI', Thom.is Foster and
James P. McFarland ; 1852, James B. Winston, and others. Dr. John S.
Griffin returned to reside here in August, 1854. Dr. Richard S. Den ^vas a
physician esteemed highly, prior to 1843. Dr. Osborne was a native of New
York,camc to California in 1847, in Col. Stevenson's regiment. He put up the
first drng store in 1850, wdiich was followed by that of McFarland and Down-
ey in 1851. Our first daguerreotypes were taken by him and Moses Searles,
August 9th, 1851. He often acted as Deputy Sherili— impossible to recount
Ills various functions ; a most useful man anywhere — friendly among his
neighbors, of intelligence and public spirit. He was the pre>jector of the
famed artesian well near the hills on the wTSt side of the city. It reached
the depth of 780 feet, June 7th, 1856, but was abandoned by the company for
want of funds. In 1852, fruit grafts had been introduced from New York by
J. G. Nichols. In 1855 Dr. O. imported from Rochester a grand collection
of roses and other choice shrubbery, as well as fruit trees. "lie was the first,
too, in October, 1854, to .«hip fresh Los Angeles grapes, which were exhibi-
!ed with admiration at a meeting of the business committee of the New York
Agricultural Society at Albany. As late as November 17th, 1856, when Mat-
thew Keller sent a like specimen. It was almost doubted at the U. S. Patent
Office— "if such products are common in California." Thetiiird drug store
war that of A. W. Hope, September, 1854; the fourth of Dr. Henry R.'Myles,
in 1860 ; then Winston & Welch— Dr. James C. AVelch ; then Dr. Theodore
Wollweber, 1863. The first dentist was J. W. Gay lord. Dr. J. C. Welch died
August 1st, 1869; he was a native of South Carolina. Dr. Heipe was
born m Virginia; died in the year 1855.

Let us make a diary of a j'ear or two : 1851, 3Iay 24th, came news of the
Stockton fire, on the 14th ; loss over a million dollars. June 11th, Col. J. C.
Fremont's visit created an agreeable sensation ; 17th, died, liliss Rosa Coro-
nel; 19th, feast of Corpus Christi was celebrated with great pomp; July 4th
passed oil" with great enthusiasm ; July 6th,Elder Parley P. Pratt held forth at
the Court House; 19th, witnessed a performance of "The Rough and Ready
Theatre," Herr Ritter, Manager, and the critic observes — "When Richmond
was coneiucred and laid off for dead, (the spectators) gave the King a smile of

CENTENNIAL HISTOtiY. 48

decided approval." August 23d, Hon. Wra. J\l Gwinn, C. S. Senator was so-
jouruiug amongst us. September 1st, city lots sold at auction at from f 20 to
$31 each, purchaser to have choice. September 2d, died, Dona Maria Igna-
cia Amador, aged 91 years; 7th, Dona Felipa Dominguez, v.-ife of Don Ber-
nardo Yorba; 17th, Matilda Lanfranco, at 14; and 21st, at 88, Dona Ysabel
Guirado. Oct. 5th, David W. Ale.xander started for Europe. Nov. 1st, Nic-
olas Blair, a Hungarian, married Miss Maria Jesus Boucliet. Nov. 8tli was
the first meeting of the Free and Accepted Masons at the Eotica. The same
day was published the marriage of Wm. J. Graves to Miss Soledad Pico at
San Luis Obispo, on October 20lh. Nov. 20th, at the Pueute, aged 40 years,
died Dona Incarnaciou Martinez, wife of John Roland. Of her it is said
truly, "Many will remember with what zeal she ministered to the weary trav-
eler, with what care and anxiety she watched the sick bed— feeding the
liungry and befriending the friendless. Her whole life was an exernplifica-
tion of that enthusiasnrin doing good which so particularly characterizes the
christian woman." Dec. 14tli were married Don Tgnucio ill Valle and Miss
Y'sabel Barrela. Dec. 22d, "Forefathers' Day," rcjuiL.d thirty gentlemen by
the presence of ladies and a supper at Monrow's with toasts, songs and
speeches. Dec. 27th, 1851, Antonio Garra was executed at Cliino by sen-
tence of court martial, for insurrection November 23d, at Warner's rancho,
and murder of American invalids Ridgley, Manning, Slack and Fiddlei*.
Some of the property holders of this year were as follows, with the assessed
value of personalty : Eulogio de Cells. 100,000 acres, |13,000 ; Jose Sepulve-
de, 102,000 acres, $83,000; John Temple, 20,000 acres, ^79,000; Bernardo Y^or-
ba, 37,000 acres, $37,000; Antonio Maria Lugo, 29,000, $72,000 ; John Foster,
61,000 acres, $13,000'; Abel Stearns, 14,000 acres, ,|99,000 ; Pio Pico, 22,000
acres, 121,000; John Roland, 29,000 acres, $70,000 ; Wm. Wolfskill, 1,100
acres, .$10,000; Antonio Ignacio Abila, 19,000 acres, $14,000; Isaac Williams.
$35,000; Ricardo Vejar, $34,000.

Through 1851 and a good while afterward the divisic-n of the State was
a serious question. A common interest of money v,-as five per cent, per
month, often ten per cent. ; a rate that commenced in 1848-'49,with the loans
of John Temple to the hundreds eager to share in the bonanza at any
sacrifice.

November 12, 1851, late of a bright moonlight evening, standing alone
at the door of his office, Main street, (where is the "Oriental,") Benjamin
Hayes was shot at by one within three feet on horseback. "The ball," says
the Star, " passed through the rim of his hat and lodged in the wall on the
the opposite side of the room, perforating in its progress the door, which is
fully an inch in thickness. The assassins then instantly galloped oft". A
party of three, including the Sheriff, James R. Barton, tracked them about
ten miles to a house; here they were received by five or six men on horse-
back, who charged upon them, fired several shots, and drove them from the
ground. The Sherift" deemed it prudent to return to the city." He did so,
obtained a posse, went back to the place of encounter, and made a search
that proved inettectual. It has always been believed that this assault was
intended for another individual.

Eugene Hesse was the first Civil Engineer, followed in February 1852,
by Vitus Wackenreuder, then by Henry Hancock, Adolph F. Waldemar.
George Hansen, Frank Lecouvreur, William Moore, 1854, Ebenezer Hadley
and W. W. Reynolds.

In 1852, January 7th, died Thomas S. Hereford, and 29th, of consump-
tion, James W. Schureman,U. S. A. February 14, arrived Mrs. Emily M. G.
Hayes, wife of Benj. Hayes, from Missouri, by way of New Orleans, Havana
and Panama, in 43 travelling steamer days from St. Louis ; Mai-ch 6th,
Nicolas Blair, tailor, had garden seeds for sale, fresh from xYrroyo Seco,
" superior to imported;" and subscription formed for a race course. March
13, death at age of 50 years, of Dr. George East. St. Patrick's Day kept up
"till rather a late hour." March 27, mai-riage of Jose Maria Yndart to Miss
Soledad Corouel. April 24, visit from Mr. Bartlett, Boundary Commissioner.
July Fourth, English oration by Louis Granger, Spanish by Don Clemcnte
Rojo: with 100 guns, a barbecue and ball at ' Don Abel's.' August 21, Don
. Antonio F. Coronel was Couuty Superintendent of Common Schools. On

44 LOS ANGELES COUNTl^

the same diiy liie first rumor ;urivcd of the death of Henry Clay at Wash-
ington, on June 80th (lie was born in 1777). Aug. 27th, Laud (Commission-
ers came. At the September election the total vote of the city was 386 ; total
population of the county then, according to the census, probably unreliable.
was, whites, 4,093 ; Indians, 3,(;»;-, I'orci -p., ,'205 ; total, 7,831. The vote of the
city of Los Angeles, SeptemlitT, is; ^, n;i-. 2,549. Sept. 23d, grand ball at the
dwelling of Don Manuel Gartias, in iionor of the Land Commissioners. Sept.
16th, Col. J. Eankhead JMagrudei', V. S. A., and Andrew E. Gray, late of the
U. S. and Mexican Boundary ('ommiitsiou, were in the city. Sept. 2Gth,
death of Nicolas Blair, aged 30 yours, an amiable, pojudar, enterprising man.
October 2d, Sea Bird promises t() make thrt'c tri})S montldv; freiiihton down-
ward trip $20 per ton (now $5 per ton). Oct. 31, liev. James G. Johnson,
Cumberland Presbyterir.n, ])reac:icd at t!ie Court LTouse — ])resent city hall.
November 1st, lirst political procession (Pierce), under Nordholdt, Lecke,
Goller — transpar(=ncies and the P;uliv"s little brass cannon — attempting to fire
it oiT, "Ccorgv ill' Bakir'W,:- li-nilv burned. Nov. 13th, Nordholdt and
Golici- -^cl ;:]' ih/ -r.:!)'! i': ■•'<:. .\:i\:- Exluhitir.n of Windsor Castle, Si. Peler's
Chur'ii:iiid \';.ii;in. i'-;;: ; r:i;i. liTlin, A'ir-una, Amsterdam. Nor had the
"bull-lighls"' iieen mls^ini,- a' the ''Feast of o;ir Lad\'." Nov. 27i'n, first news
publi.slied onhede;\tli of' Daniel AVel'ster, v.hich'had taken place on Oct.
24th. He WHS Ixirn .]:ui. HJlh, 1782. Dec. ]2ih, the Spanish troupe played a
drauia of "The Immortal Poet, Don Jose Zorillo." Besides the Bella Pnion,
the city through the year had boasted minor hotels— in ]\I:irch, Tiie Ameri-
can, Harry Munrow; in May, Sportsuicn's Hall, H. Malcolm ; September,
"Arkau'ias," at the noted corner. This was the harvest year ofJoaquin jMuri-
reUa, who kept the county in terror; hov.'cver, he did Jiot kill any one. On
Xew \ ears' tlay, 1852, the county ov.ed fil 7,017; and tl)e State' $2,340,483.
At the general "electitm tor Governor, Se]il. 1S55, Los Angeles county polled
1,479 votes; in 1875 the -".-ote was 5,175. Peter Biixgs was the first Isafber. As
a slave, he was sold to an olliccr at F<irt Leavenworth. At t!ie close of the
war, left, on Caliiorni-.i ierritor}-, his I'reedDm was necessarily recognized. He
lived here many years thereafter. In the Spring of 1850, probablj' three or
four colored persons were in tliis city. In 1875 they number about one hun-
dred and seventy-five souls; m.'iny of v.hom liold good citj- property, acquired
by their industry. They are farmers, mechanics, or of some one or other use-
ful occupation; and renuirkable fa- good habits. They count some seventy-
five voters. Robert Ov.-en, familiarly Ijy Americans called "Uncle Bob,"
came from Texas in December, 1853, Avith "Aunt Vy'lnuie," his wife, two
daughters, and son, Charley Owen. They survive him. He was a slirewd
man of business, energetic, and honorable in his dealings; made money by
Government contracts a)id genoi-al trade. He died, well esteemed by white
and colored, August 18th, 1805, aged 50 years. Of the society of Mexican
Veterans are five colored men : George Smith, George Diggs, Lewis G.
Green, PaulRushmore and Peter B}'us. The la§t named wasboru in Henri
CO county, Va., in 1810, and served with Col. Jack Hayes, Gen. Z. Taylor, and
Capt. John Long. He was at the battle of Monterey. Rushmore was born
1829, in Georgia ; served on Taylor's line. He drove through the team of
Col .John VYard and James Douglass from Chihuahua to Los Angeles. Smith
and Diggs, the first born in New York, the second in the District of Colum
bia, both served on the ship Columbus, Commodore Biddle and Capt. Self
ridge. Green was born in North Carolina, 1827; was a seaman on the Ports-
mouth, Captain John B. Montgomery; and in the navy nine years and eight
months, on the store ship Erie, Cyane, Constitution, Pennsylvania and Ver-
mont.

In 1850 the Bella Union was the only hotel. This was the official resi-
dence of Gov. Pio Pico, at the taking of tlie city by Commodoi-e Stockton, in
August, 1846; and continued to be occupied by the United States, for sol-
diers' quarters, till May, 1849. It had come into the hands of Mr. B. D.
Wilson. It served as a species of hotel until after the county organization,
vv-hen it was rented for a Court House. October 4th, 1851, it was reopened by
Gibson & Hodges, in opposition to the "Eagle Hotel," Bailey & Overstreet,
which had been started January 3d. Winston & Hodges then conducted it
awhile, and sold out, March 5th, 1853, to Dr. Obed Macej-. of El Monte ,

rollr

ft ion

of our

cit"

izcns.

It i3 now

V v:\

lilney

. Til-.

U

nitv-d

States was

^ :-:. 1

Piuli!!

ii— ;i n;

mi;

.; tlnit

]''.H'alls one

IS-i(i,

. in ('

:i]if'>rni

ia.

31 a V

• ;»st, 18o(i,

;.-, 1

-, II. y*;-

■ford:

^Vrl)I;cr ct

':' renin

1 er

man,

I!aiiun<.l &

;! il inl

o a.

nia^.^

\\v, oley-anl

01 o:

L^'UL-

lc<T too

'-' 1

ioris;(-s

>ion, luuk'r

■A) 11

ouse,

of I'CCC

nt

stnic

t\n\\ stands

CE]S'TEX:\IAL HISTORY. 45

-July 22d, lSo4, it was in the hand of lioss & Crockett. April 7tli, 1855,
Robert S. Hereford was proprietor. April 19th, 185C, it was transferred to
Flashner & Ilammell. Consideral Ic iiiinrovcments were commenced in
October, 1858, and finished 35.-- .■; cost of ?'?2,Ono, by Fhsslmer &

Winston. Marens Flashner di' ;-, 1859. In ISCO, Jolm King was

proprietor; in 1801, J. B. Win;- : .. ,> . ., from !8(i0 to 1873, Gustavus H.
Matlield. John King (iietl DecemlK-r 'J"(h, 1871. Throu-;li this series of
years it is deei)ly associated witii the
the St. Cliarles; nndcr :"-.ti':-si'<. Salail
built on jiroperty b'.-lon.ii u ;-^ Don Ju
of the most tragic evciu m' ;!ii' war o
Joseph "Waivel wa.-5 piii|irif!i.'r ; tin i;
Hass, Louis ^lesn.icr, Adams ct Gre;.
Bremmerniau. ]\Ir. Mesmer, owner,
brick structure. June 1st, 1 808, Ham
•a lease, and still conduct ii. The Pico

upon the premises once owned by Don Jose Antonio Carrillo — in liis day
very distinguished among his countryman — a member of the Mexican Con-
gress and Judge of the DepartmentaT Supreme Court. It v.-as then a com-
modious adobe dwelling, with a, red tiled roof. The proprietors are Don
Antonio Cuj^as & Co., under a. ! : ■. " li; Lafayette covers the site of the
residence of Don Euiogio dc '■ '<■ . ' ;i:nal)le and wealthy gentleman,
native of Spain, who had been l.iiy-.n iiiis coast., and in 1850 had retired
from commercial pursuits. SciiU'iuber 11th, 185 '. i'^ ■■.:..; A; Kolj were
proprietors, and there is reason to believe not \ '■' - ^ 'v considerable
protit. January 1st, 18G2, the firm was compos- I ■ ;' J n 'i'nck W. Koll,
Henry Dockv/eiler, and C. Flulir. This last gentleman liecame sole proju-ie-
tor in 1864. The business is conducted by Flidir & Gerson. This vast
building has been entirely reconstructed witiiin the past two years. Don
Euiogio de Cells died at Bilbao, Sjiain, January 27th, 1800.

In the Spring of 1850, the resident population of the cit}- scai'cely ex-
ceeded twenty-five hundred; ajigm-nte'l by January, 1853, to about 3,000,
including 800 from the United Slat s, ;tiid aiaiaiij; these a large proportion of
families. In those days of dis(;;d;:r []'.'.- ii-areful slumbers of the citizens
were guarded by the Voluntary Police, of one hundred men, under Dr. A. W.
Hope, as Chief, Among the lieutenants, or privates, we recognize, July,
1851, Messrs. Alexander, Olvera, S. C. Foster, Ogier, Brent, Joseph Yancey,
Wheeler, J. G. Downey, Nichols, F. L. Guirado, Juan Sepulveda, Keller,
Hayes. Often later were tlie streets enlivened by the martial tread uf tlie
military companies required, from time to time, in our wild circumstances.
Tlie 22d day of February, 18M, was celebrated by the City Guards, Captain
W. W. Twist, and their first anniversary ball given in May. Ringgold's
Light Artilleiy^ organized June 7th, of that year. The Los Angeles Rangers
was older. The Legislature of 1854 appropriated $4,000 for their equipment ;
they celebrated their first anniversary August 6th, of that year. They had
proved always efficient. March 20th, 1857, a rifle company was formed,
under Captain Twist; and May 9th, the French infantiy corps, 105 strong,
Captain C. A. Faralle. The Rifieros de Los Angeles, Pantaleon Zavaleta,
Captain, were established March, 1873 ; the Los Angeles Guard, Se]itember
8th, 1874 — Captain, James Bartlett; First Lieutenant, Thomas Bowlin ; Sec-
ond Lieutenant, (Charles Hagan.

We crave a thought for all who, in art or literature, have adorned this
home of their choice. Friendship has a tear for some. Edward J. C Kewen,
in 1860, charmed by his eloquence. IxA (Colbraith) was here then. Mre!
Caroline Hartman has left memorials of her taste in painting (portraits of
Don Santiago Arguello, General John A. Sutter), and of ours(often she sweetly
treats of California) was the fame of her writings in Atlantic periodicals.
Mrs. Hartman died February 28th, 1861.

* *.-(:* * * « * *

An important step toward public improvement was the establishment of
the "Star," May 17th, 1851, a newspaper that has always exercised a salutarj'
influence. The first number appeared of that date, with John A. Lewis and
John McElroy, publishers; subscription, |10 per annum; in English and

46 LOS ANGELIiS COUXTY

Spani'^h la Jul\ Wm IT E T 1 ( r i n < c, itcrl witli tho-^ ijcntlemen

as the film of Le\M^ TcLInn v d il iid FcAemIxT llli, M( "!<"lio^ holdout
to Lc\M^ (fc Rand Oito'in VM'i 1 '\f(, ' li<f^ dgnu 1)^! irio iiitcn t(d,
the business to 1 ^ iie eit^i ( ond i 1 1 \ T S \A I'ltc Jv (o I( -w m then
DemotntK ui i> )lilR Dftci^lm Tt! I^■"^" > s M iite \, i- oli pubhslier
ind ])iopii(,()i F.^ th)'^ t nio iK Sj) 11 1) '\fiti-.(ni( iN l id lum liaii'
ieiicd to tb- 'CI moi Pdilif 1 \pi 1 mh 1 .. U iiK pi.l to ^\ illiam A
Wdl nio . 1 Tii.x "tL follo^MP^ soU 11 ,( 1 ^ J! m Ion IJdoiethis
linu Ih 1 1 Lid \nil() 'i^bt Uu M'( i < Un h T il n, n the Lob

Vn 1 I 1 'oil md po i m ti ui ot Don "*,Iinncl

Cle I ih< liitotFilKi ) 11)11,1 ID Spu 1 ioun Icr

of C 111 thou iiid A 1^ s h 1 1 1 )iubt out lull

mfoi^i I (1 1 ^ 1.1 '(V M ib]i conducted

by ]\I' i' niniloii .hi u" h t li i t ' \\ (nis nuntion

aFo toi hue intiili ition 1o li I i i i > nl\ thiouirh

th" u 1 1 ">" ^ ' 1 il . - T p s S

WU 1 ^ I I't ^ ) I 1 ,1 his

<)ln< ' 1 I ^ hi 1 "-11(1 stont

ma} h i\( ui 11(1

lh( ( 1 n\\ .1 Pi 1 ! .1 1 ) M ^ a ('i , d i 1 Don

F]an( M o P K nuK )i I ) i inn I ' {■•■', n i il it- di it! Diem

lief .5Kt, ls-)'( Dn ^^rho^^ ! om i i tojs < n v ]n 1 ,(>!■,(, 1 md ii irt
ot l>(i2 )RM\a'- Stitc Piihfci md cduoi of (Jf'Kiil Touir d ot the k-t lU ot
SouoM IToK*-,! Ml h( .(M'j 1 -> )3, n'di ii n n of d' i' \ i md m l^bj
h< 1 ' Its Lnnd (' Mo ts&b

h( A 111 )is ol "El "S nci^eo

md 111 ' (Ot foi C 111 II V\.hile

he w \ <-o IK I t t" 1 CiOhi. 1 LoN l'i. k , \ hn . j^ublic tion v\ai

begun ]^ra^ tth 1 -> M '^ Icod li A. C > pKini lois untei^, Dou Eiilo lo
E de r lis 1 r li th' [1 -t tliKf } a oi lonu he h\b divottd

hini^

the ' S .ntlu 1 < ilifii'iiu p ihlisLed by
Bii , 1 t 1 ( 1 i I'l 1 I is

ran-

\n h'i d

lllut' :■ ■ -t

nuinli- ■ iiu"

■" " 1. .ih

'• l.os
l\ was

Lii'": ■ :■ ' ni t. when

the ii' ^V;dl • Wwn

enter,-.! . ■;-|>,,l,. \vJ'-r-

estoi : P;,li of

that V 'idiiic;!-

tion \\ ;;k;)!{.

From , It is

belie\ ne^i G

Ho^v. V..- ihe
mater

Tim.
;:eles

Ezra ;....
andoi' ('ra;.:
Wilson Hio-1
T.w. ,,

year i '

CENTENNlxiL HISTORY. 4?

Beaevoleat Society ( now Presidenf:, F. Y. C. dc Moudrfin ), beura date of
March 1st, liSGO. October 29tli, 1859. the vice-consular flag of France was
raised in this city by the estimable vice-consul, Mr. Jacob x^. Moerenht-ut,
amid the firmg of «annou and fervid congratulations of his own countrymen,
participated in by many other citizens. The last estimate of the French in
this city made about GuO men, of whom one-half are believed to be married;
with tlieir families there might be two thousand. M. Moereuhout was born
at Antwerp, Belgium, March Gth, 1797. He was appointed Consul of France
to the Mexican Government at Monterey in the year 1845, and arrived at that
city on a Fi-ench muu-of-vvar in 184G. Although that Consulate was sus-
pended in ISIS, iic remained llicre in the di:5cliarge of its functions until
1850, when he went l.i Fr;!ntx'. hi 1N'.2 lie returned to Monterey with the
title of consul /w/i<;yu/;t- asnl ;is vice-Consul of France ; V.,- I'ciiiiiiiicd there
until 185'J, when he v>a.s a;.]ininlLd in lliV same capacii ' ' , of Los

Augele.-i. The Teutonia-eon( (ailia was funned Deceni' '.), wilk

thirly-eighi members: Preskleat, C. II. Classen; Vice-i .>. ~.i.^..., 1.. llaui-
mel; Secretary, H. Hensche; Treasurer, Lorenzo Leek. It held its anniver-
saries and no' doubt was joyous, as Germans always arc; but ultimately
merged itself in the Turnverein Gcrmauia June 19, 1871. President now,
George Reinecker ; Vice-President, B. Marxen; Treasurer, C. Erode; Secre-
tary, Henry Glass. The Germans with their wives and children are not less
than two thousand. Tiie Irish, including their families, are over one thou-
sand in this city and county. They have a branch of the Ancient Order of
Hibernians, which has about a hundred membei-s; instituted here August
16th, 1875, with officers as fol-ows: County Delegate, Daniel Douherty;
President Martin Golden ; Vice-President, B. J. Flynn ; Financial Secretaiy,
Peter Lunny; Recording Secretary, William Farley; Treasurer, Richard
Malony. Its officers remain the same except President, who is Daniel Mc
Car.hy, and Martin Golden succeeds Mr. Flynn as Vice President. There
*re Temperance and other societies for benevolent objects, of recent dates.
Order of Red Men, Knights of Pythias, etc.

The Merrill Lodge Ko. 399, I. O.G. T., was organized December 38th,
18G7. Its officers arc, July 4th, 1876 : Jesse Yarnell, W. C. T.,Marion Cays-
tile, W. V. T., Del. Condit, W. R. H. S., Mary Whitehorn, W. L. H. S., Wn-i.
L. Todd, W. S., Ed. Stump, W. A. S., F. A. Gibson, W. F. S., J. R. Brierly,
W. T., C. Stamps, W. M., Katie Caystilc, W. D. M,, T. J. Caystile, W. I. G.,
P. W. DoOner, W. O. G., J. J. Ayers, P. W. C. T., Tom B. Wade, W. C. The
Catliolic Abstinence Society has as President Patrick C<mnelly; Vice Presi-
dent, John P. Moran, jr. ; bVcretary, David Weldt; Clniplain, Rev. Peter Ver-
daguer. At an earlier day we're Sons of Temperance and other organizations
maintained with considerable enthusiasm. The Mechanics' Institute be-
longed to the year? 1858-'60, before which, Dr. Thomas J. White, J. R. Scott,
Esq., and other gentlemen, delivered able lectures. July 1st, 1859, the doors
of tiie Library Association were opened to the public. 'An Agricultural So-
ciety was matured in December. 1859. The Spanish-American Benevolent
Society came June 1st, 1875, D. Garcia President; preceded in 1863 by the Jii-
rez Political Club, L. Benavides now President.

The tirst hosjntal, "Tlie Los Angeles Infirmary," for the sick, wa?
opened May ;Ust, 1858, in the hcmse of Don Cristobal xlgui I ar, by the Sistei-s
of Charity. These ladies emigrated from their mother house, St. Joseph's,
Emmetsburg, Md., and settled'at Los Angeles in the year 1855. Subsequent
ly they have erected an extensive hospital of brick, with garden and orchard
surrounding it, in the ui)per jiart of the city.

Cimtrary to what has been said .sometimes, the native Californiaus were
never indiiiereut totlic educalion of tlieir childrjiMi, as the acts of the Dei>art-
niental Assembly and Ayuntameintos prove, by constant ell\)rts from the
time of Governor" Figueroa and before, it must be borne in mind that their
local councils had not faculty to impose a property tax for any purpose, and
their annual revenue seldom exceeded one th<»usand dollars. We every day
meet on the street a member ot tlie xVyunlamiento of 1846, Don Luis Jordan,
who on January 31st of Ihat year, urging a plan for a primary school, uttered
the noble .-.entinient: "Humanity, family tie^, and the obligation of our of-
fice in mute voices tell us that we must not be iudiflFerent to the hclplessucos

4« LOS ANGELES COUNTY

of youtli, lost to-morrow our uci^lect i-aiiy lirii^g down upon our own heads
ctliiim paid execration."

Wc have belore referred to rr'rtain ifieasurcs of tlie jiexiean Supreme
Government in 18o3-''o4 to extend eihieation in California, and to the school
of Don la-nacio Coronel atLos Anji-eles. The lirst proposition for a college
was from' Rev. Antonio Jimenes, May l.^tli, isr)0, in his application j'or a
yraui of town land to that end. Alniut ihesanu' time, Kev. Dr. '\'\;-k:-. Pi'es-
hyterian, seconded by J. G. Nichols, opened the i)ioneer Eujiii-;h -ehoiil. As
hile a- JaPiUary, 1X5;], we had but fViur smiiil ^(dioois, two of iheni ie;iching
iji::':!^!!. 'riuMiliiesl. Public Schoollinuse-avec. -.eon liaili street, the other on
Sprin-;; street ; lioth built under the trustees ,] . (t. Nichols and .John (). Wheel-
er. At San G abriel, J. F. Burns and Ctesar C. Twitchel v\'ere teachei's in 1854.
J)r. John S. Gritlin, dune 7th. 1856, was elected Superintendent of
Common Schools, with Fi'ancis Melius, Agustin Olvera and Wm. A. Wallace
as School Commisssioners. Wm. McKee and Mrs. Thomas Foster lauLidit
for sometime. Mrs. Hoyt liad a school March 7th, 1857, and her dauuhler,
Miss ]\Iary E. Hoyt, November 2()th, 185:)— these ladies much honored and
succcssfui teacliers; and also. Miss Anna :»lcArthur. Among the ladies
Teaching at dilferent e]wchs since ISfitl, v.erc I'diss Eliza jiadigau. llattie
Scott. Frankie Scott, Maggie Hamilton, Eula P. Bixliv, Eiunia L. Hawks,
Clara M.Jones, E.Bengough; Messrs. H. A. S.ix,. ;,i„i ('. il. lvii.ib;dl. Dr. T.
H. Eose and Dr. W. T. Lucky bring up this iVir ree. ;d ,o die pie.-ent hour.
July 4th, 1875, Los Angeles county had near S.OOO eliiidren, aeeording to the
school census; school districts, 4S ; tcaeh.ers, 72; EulilJc Scliool lioiises, 5'.!; to
be understood as including grammar, ip.tei'iuediate and primary scliools.

The Institute and Orphan Asylum (.7' lli' :-'!■:.,- of Charity had com-
menced January 5th, 185G. St. Viueem's r..;ei.,:- ' . lie.,;,- for" boys, after
iwoj-ears ou the Plaza, was fu'mly establishedi in lo~n, in their lu'csent edi-
Hce. Its President is Rev. Michael Flj-nn.

Educational systems have been extended and brought nearer perfection
■within the past seven years. To those patient laborers of our earlier days —
in adverse circumstances, often their best recompense Avas the cousciousnes!«
of duty Avell done— society is grateful for the noble gifts of useful men and
women Avhom it owes to their knowledge and faithful care.

The Israelites have always observed their festivals of the Old Law, by
<.:losing houses of business and meeting for worship at designated places.
'They number six hundred souls.

The lirst Methodist sermon was preached June, 1850, by Rev. J. W. Bri
•er, at the adobe residence of J. G. Nichols, where the Court House now
i^tands. Mr. Brier w-as an emigrant of 1840, on the Salt Lake route. At
Death Valley, on the Desert, he had to put his wife and two children on an
ox, himself afoot, and so entered Los Angeles. In 1853, Rev. Adam Bland
w^as sent by the California Conference to this, "the Southern California ]\lis-
sion." He came "with his wife and little white-haired girl," found inade
cju.ate accommodations for his tamily, and a solitary member, wdio then
lived out of town, Mr. J. W. Potts (still living here). Later in the year Mr
P. came to -reside in the city ; and he and Rev. i\Ir. Bland constituted tli<?
whole membership "at quarterly meeting, and official meeting; except when
Dr. M. Whisler and family might come in from "El Monte." ^ This society
now numbers 260 members. Rev. J. McHenry Calwell was minister here,
in 1854, and must have been in part of 1855, for in April of that year preach-
ing is advertised for the Court House (present City Hall) signed by him ;
preachers, Rev. Adam Bland and Rev. R. P. Dunlop, the latter preacher at
El Monte, the former Presiding Elder in 1854. At Los Angeles the success-
ive preachers thereafter were, in 1855, Rev. N. R. Peck; 1850, Rev. Elijah
Merchant; 1857, Rev. David Tuthill ; 1866, Rev. C. Gillett; 1867, Rev. A. P.
Hernden; 1868, Rev. A. Coplin; 1869 and '70, Rev. A. M. Hough; 1871, Rev.
P. y. Cool ; 1872, Rev. S. H. Stump ; 1873, Rev. J. W. Campbell ; now Rev.
<;;eo. 8. Hickev, A. M. It will presently appear that Mr. Tuthill must hav«

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 49

been here in 1859. Rev. Mr. Merchant died in 1856, at the " little parsonage
on First street." For some of these facts we are indebted to the Methodist
Church Record, kept in this city. The Methodists have church edifices at
•Santa Monica, Compton and Orange, and propose others at Florence and
Lower Santa Ana. Their pastors are : Rev. M. M. Bovard, A. B., Compton ;
Rev. J. D. Crum, Santa Monica; Rev. J. M. Campbell, Orange and Anaheim;
Rev. C. Shelling, Florence and Indiana Colony; Rev. I. N. Leihy, Westmin-
ster and Artesia ; Rev. Adam Bland, Santa Ana and Tustin.

To go back a little: Rev. James Woods, Presbyterian, and Rev. James
G. Johnson were among the earliest preachers. Rev. J. W. Ellis died at £1
Monte, February 39th, 1856. In August following. Rev. I. N. Davis left, for
want of support. Los Angeles then was witliout any Protestant misister. As
late as May, 1857, there was no Episcopal pastor. On that day, Dr. Matthew
Carter announces himself as a lay reader, authorized only to administer
burial rites. Rev. Elias Birdsall staid liere a year, from the Spring of 1865,
about which time Bishop Wni. Ingraham Kip made his first visit. Rev.
Henry Hayes Messenger came to this city July 19th, 1866. He had been a
missionary on the west coast of Africa, near Cape Palmas, from 1858 to 1863.
His health impaired, he returned to Ohio ; after four years, concluded to try
California. He lives at Orange, in this county, sometimes preaching, but a
good deal devoted to horticultural pursuits, especially the banana, pine-apple
and other tropical plants. After Mr. Messenger, came Rev. J. B. Gray, Rev.
J. J. Talbot, Rev. Robert Burton, and now Rev. William H. Hill. At Ana-
heim, is Rev. J. M. Hubbard, Episcopal. In 1859, El Monte had Rev. R. C.
Fryer and Rev. John A. Freeman. On May 4th, of the same year, an organ-
ization was formed by Rev. Wm. E. Bourdman (the author), under the title
of the First Protestant Society, with a Constitution declaring that its mem-
bers " unite for the purpose of supporting Protestant worship here ;" signed
by Isaac S. K. Ogier, Wm. McKee, A. J. King, C. Sims, Charles S. Adams,
Wm. S. Morrow, D. McLaren, Thos. Foster, Wm. H. Shore, N. A. Potter.
The corner-stone of St. Athanasius Church — that on the hillside below the
High School — was laid in 1864. The following ladies constituted its choir:
Mrs. Caroline Hartman, Mrs. Nancy Wheeler, Mrs. Gen. W. S. Hancock,
Mrs. Major S. P. Hentzelman, Mrs. G. W. Mix, Mrs. Adeline E. Morgan, who
is now in Florida, and widow of Mr. Osias Morgan, Miss Mary E. Iloyt,
Mrs. Julia Wheeler, Mi.ss Maria Schotchler, who married Mr. H. N. Alexan-
der, and died soon afterward, Mrs. W. E. Boardman and niece, Miss Abbic
Green. The lot was conveyed, by Francis Melius, for the first Protestant
Church that might be built, of which the Presbyterians availing themselves
built this edifice, and transferred it to the Episcopalians. It was built under
the direction of Rev. Mr Boardman. The Baptists have a church at Downey
City. The present Congregationalist Church on New High street was built
by Rev. Alexander Parker ; he was follow by Rev. J. T. Wills ; the minister
DOW is Rev. D. T. Packard. The Presbyterians have Rev. Dr. A. F. White.

Rev. Dr. Pierce and Rev. T C. Barton officiated here before 1859, and in
that year Rev. W. E. Boardman, Presbyterian, Rev. D. Tuthill, M. E., and
Rev. Mr. Newton, M. E. South. Referring to the three gentlemen last named
as being located here October 33, 1859, the Star says : " With this force of
pious and talented clergymen, we have no doubt the spiritual interest of the
various Protestant denominations will be duly attended to. We did not
mention, in the foregoing, the Reverend Dean and clergy of the Catholic
Church, because every one knows they are the pastors of the Church of the
great mass of our citizens, — indeed, the founders of our city itself; and that
the doors of the Church stand open for divine service all day and nearly all
hours."

Rt. Rev. Thaddeus Amat, of Barcelona, Spain, was consecrated Bishop
of Monterey in 1854. In 1859 he received the title of Bishop of Monterey
and Los Angeles, and established his See in this city. Rev. Bias Raho had
preceded him in 1856, as parish Priest, at whose death Rev. Francis Mora,
came, in 1863, as Rector of the Cathedral and Vicar General. August 3d,
1873, Rev. Francis Mora was consecrated Bishop Co-adjutor. Rev. Peter
Verdaguer is Parish P*riest, Rev. Miguel Duran, Assistant. The Catholic
Church on the Plaza was built in the year 1831 ; a new roof put on ia 1841

4

.-.0 J.Uo A^sGELES COUiN'TY

by Kev. Fi-. Sauchez. It -was improved to its pr'?t.ciit stale by Piev. J3. Ralio.
The Cathedral on j\Iaiu street, -which is the hirgx'st Clmrch edifice perhaps
in this ytate, v.as commenced Maj' 1st, 1871, and consecrated April 30th, 187G.
At Santa Ana (of the Yorbas) is a Church built at the expense oi" Don Ber-
nardo Yorba, many years ago. In August, 18G9, Rev. Peter Verdaguer, then
pastor of San Gabriel built a Church at xlnaheim, upon a lot granted to him
on condition of improvement. Its pastor is Rev. Victor Fouron. Small
tracts belong to the Catholic Church at each of the old Missions of San Fer-
nando, San Gabriel and San Juan Capistrano, acquired by confirmation of
the U. S. Courts. The grazing lands surrounding those places were in gener-
al granted by the Mexican Government to private individuals, — as at San
Fernando, 121,619 acres to Don Eulogio de Cells; at San Juan, various fine
ranchos to John Foster. San Fernando has no Prie.st; its Church is out of
repair. Famed in 1854 for its olives, it is now the cynosure of all railway
expectations. The first through train from San Fernando to Spadra bears
date April loth, 1874. The great tunnel of the Southern Tacilic Company-
was commenced in Ajnil, 1875; its completion is predicted confidently by
Superintendent E. E. Hewitt on September 20th, 1876. The Sjiadra trunk
passes alongside of the weather-beaten adobe walls of San Gabriel. A new
and solid roof was i)ut upon its Church in 18G3, by Rev. Ci))riano Rubiou.
. Its present pastors are Rev. Joaquin Bot and Rev. Hugh McKamee. Its
bells, celebrated in song for their sweet tones, date far back into the last cen-
tury. The Priest of San Juan Capistrano is Rev. Joseph Mut. Since the
earthquake of 1812, divine service has always been held in a large room
fronting on the Court. An effort was made some years ago to repair the old
Church, which failed for want of means. When Commodore Stockton
passed, Jauuarj- 5th, 184G, it is described as "evidently once a handsome
building; well finished with cut .stone arches over the doors, windows, etc.;
the cornice of the same; the rest of the building of stone, covered witli^ ce-
ment and stucco woi-k. Many famiJies then Avere at the Mission, and Mr.
John Fo.ster resided tliere. "Extensive dams were standing that had been
used for irrigation, and the valley a]ij)eared to have been formerly kept in a
high state of^cultivation. The Church is now, or has been, used for a stable."
Don Juan Foster began to occupy this jilace in the year 1844, and re-
mained there until he took possession, in 18tl4, of bis princely estate of San-
ta Margarita. He became so identified with it, that he used to be saluted
"San Juan Capistrano" as often as by his family appellation. Nevertheless,
not to him does it oAve its name, but lo a i)ersonage who was born at the town
of Capistrano, near the city of Aquila, in the kingdom of Naples. In a Avork
which treats of these subjects A-ery learnedly, it is stated as follows; "This
zealous defender of the Christian religion Avas son of a French laiigiit, Avho
married in Italy while attached to the retinue of the Duke d'Anjou^Avlio, at
Avignon, had been crowned King of Naples. After study of civil and can-
onical laAv, he Avas made a Judge at Perusa, and Avas distinguislied by bril-
liant talents and eloquence. He married there, but on the death of his wife
he entered into the religious order of Franciscans (by Avhom the California
Missions were all established). His custom Avas to eat once a day, and for
thirty-six years he did not taste of meat — sleeping but three hours at night
on the floor of his cell. He Avas eminent in the puli)it. He filled many em-
ployments under Papal appointment in Germany, Hungary, Bohemia, Po-
land, and elsewhere. Mahomet II, the terror of Europe, took Constantino-
ple in the year 145o ; now master of twelve kingdoms and more than two liun-
dred cities, he besieged Belgrade, in 1456. San Juan Capistrano Avas by the
Pope appointed preacher and leader of the Crusade. Hungarian, Transylva-
nian and Russian combined, San Juan in front, crucifix in ■ hand, met Ma-
homet. At the first onset the Ottoman army Avas routed, Mahomet wounded-
and his troops cut to pieces — a victory which the IVinces all ascribed to the
zeal and prayers of San Juan. He died the sameye;u' in Hungary at the age
of 71 years. In 1690 he was solemnly canonized by Pope Alexander VIII."
We have already explained the Pueblo name, as distinguished from that of
the Mission. This pretty sea-side valley has had a various history. Its abo-
rigines Avere remarkable from the first, according to the account left of them
in the biography of FatheV Junipcro Serra, for their gentleness of disposition -.

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 51

and ever since luive been noticed for their comely appearance and good qual-
ities. In 18()2-r)o the small-pox nearly exterminated them. The pirate Bou-
chard held high -wassail three nights'and days within its sacred walls, his
outlaw crew, wild from its well-tilled cellars, Priests and neophytes mean-
while sheltered by the woof'.s of Trabuceo.' Al)ont IH.-)!), Daniel Sexton had
weary digging under one of its rooms for hidden treasure, until the conde-
scending'proprietor feared 1o si'c l)is linnse Inmhling dov/n over his head.
Sliips for trade lia,') anchored jti its ;.n!;: bi-hl, and its liot spring, twelve
miles distant, inxiled invalids 1o lieMliMv \v:<\cv<. IJeyond donl)! itwas a reg-
ularl}' organized Mexican pueblo, yel li\- -leepy ne'_Aieet missed a coutirma-
tory decree, and the ]ion:es (if tlie too contidim!.- iniiabitants may have been
the prey of speculators. NovenAber J lib, is"..-), its h\nd was finaUy entered as
a town site, amounting (') .I'iT. 07 acres, for .fTO.S.st); the only town site that
lias been entered in the L'. S. I.os Angeles District. In more prosperous
days, was there ever a irayei- people V And where a firmer fortitude in ad-
versity? Primitive simplicity sought to keep the reign at San Juan. Sel-
xlora they elected a "Justice of the Peace;" nor often had they a dispute
which "Don Juan" — whether Foster or Abil.a — could not lull and compose.
So in quiet lived Santiago Rios,-Brigido JMorrillo, Pedro Verdugo, Matias
Olivares, Bias Aguilar, Hermenegildo Bermudez, children, grand children
—and friend.s — t\i sixty miles from Los Angeles, and seventy other wearier
miles from San Diego — too far for excitement or news, unless when the pol-
itician irrepressible might stray within their fold, or a charmed visitor share
the cheerful board.

On January 23d, 1857, came the liand of P;nicho Daniel and Juan
Flores. Through the day they plundered Ihe stores of Miguel Krazewskj'-,
Henry Charles, and Manuel Garcia, linishing their work by cruel murder of
the German merchant, George W. Pilugardt. This led to events which we
may briefly relate. Having received some previous information of move-
ments of these robbers, SherilF James K. Barton, on the night of the 22d, left
this city with a party consisting of Wm. H. Little, Charles'lv. Baker, Charles
F. Daley, Alfred Ha'rdy and Frank Alexander. Within titteen miles of San
Juan, on the San Joaquin rancho, next morning, Little and Baker advanced a
few hundred yards in pursuit of a man in view on horseback. The bandits
sallied out from behind a hillock, eight in number, instantly killed Little
and Baker, then att;;cl:e(l Barton and companions. After a short conflict
Barton was killed, a:nl Haley imrsucMl viitli like fate. The other two, by the
fleetne-ss of tlieir \y^r<i-^ e cap-'d an'i lirought this sad intelligence to Los An-
geles. Words caniiol pi^a niv Ihe liori'or and grief th.at (illeVi all w.vu. Re-
venge beca.me in-aanlly the sole i !iou<j,-lit. Five companies, Freacli,<;(aanans,
and Amencaus, wei'e at once (H'uanized, and two Itesides of native CaJiforni-
ans; one also at El .Monte, one at San ISernardino. A eoimpany of U. S. In-
fantry came from Fort Tejon nndo' Lie>itena>nts Magruder and Pender. At
San Diego an express Inui broun-ht infoianation of the dea.th of Pilugardt.
Under a warrant issued bj^ the District Judge, Captain H. S. Burton placed
at the disposal of Sheriff Joseph Reiner thirty of his artillerymen, mounted,
under Lieut. Mercer, who proceeded to San Juan. The Los Angeles compa-
nies scoured the country, and some of the bandits were taken and hung. A
company under James Thompson was sent towards Tnjunga. Someof the
U. S. Infantiy with him wen; stationed on the look-out at Semi Pass. Two
of the soldiers, hid behind the rocks, succeeded in arresting a man who had
come there for water. lie was without arms, mounted on a poor horse, and
had a little dried beef on the saddle behind him. He said his name was
Juan Gonzales Sanchez; that he behmgcd to and had come from Sjtn Fer-
nando Mission ; was out hunting horses, and would go no further. Taken
into camp, he was recognized by Don Pancho Johnson as Juan Flores. lu
the presence of almost the entire population, near the top of Fort hill, he
was executed Feb. 14th, 1857, in accordance with a vote of the mass of the
people. James R. Barton was of Howard county. Mo. ; emigrated to ^Mexico
in 1811 ; came to California in 1843. William Hale Little was reared in Tex-
as, near Palestine, Anderson county; aged ;-38 years. Charles K. Baker was
born at Rock Spring, De Soto county, Mi.ssissippi; aged 2(5 years: he wa.s
last from Sequin, Texas. Charles F. Daley was a native of 5s''cw York; yo

53 LOS ANGELES COUNTY

years of age. Pauclio Daniel was captured bj^ Sherifl' Murphy iu January;
1858, concealed in a liaystack in the vicinity of San Jose. He was put in
jail in Los Angeles. His case came before the District Court, — Benj. Hayes,
Judge — on March loth, E. J. C. Kewen his counsel. He pleaded "not guil-
ty" to the indictment for the murder of Charles K. Baker, Charles F. Daley
and Pflugardt. Col. Kewen then retired from the case and K. H. Dimmick
was appointed by the Court to conduct his defense. Various proceedings
took place. It appearing impossible to get a jury out of a venire of ninety
six persons , the case was continued ; C. Sims, Attorney for defendant. At
the July term, from illness of C. Sims, C. E. Thom was assigned as associ-
ate counsel. A challenge to the whole panel of 96 jurors was sustained by
the triers, and a furtlier panel of 96 jurors ordered to be returned on August
9th. The Court then sustained a challenge for bias of the Coroner, and the
case was continued until the next term. November loth the Elisor was
challenged for bias in summoning a panel of 96 jurors. This challenge was
not sustained. A motion for a change of venue was then made, argued, and
the case transferred to Santa Barbara county, in the Second Judicial District.
General E. Drown was District Attorney. On November 30th, about 6><
o'clock in the morning, Richard Mitchell, the jailor, was on his way to mar-
ket. He was stopped by six or eight persons, who demanded the keys of the
jail, which he delivered after some hesitation. A piece of artillery was
planted so as to bear upon the door of the jail, and a large number of men
marched- from a neighboring corral The doors of the prison were opened
and Pancho Daniel was summoned to leave his cell, which he did with cool-
ness and resignation. At twenty minutes past 7 a. m. he was hung within
the jail yard. The body was delivered to his wife for interment. A Coro-
ner's Jury examined a number of witnesses and rendered a verdict that "he
came to his death by being hanged by some persons to the jury unknown.''
Freshets of the river have been exaggerated in the excitement of the mo-
ment. At Los Angeles, the flood of 186"l-62 began with the rain on Christ-
mas eve, 1861,and continued almost without intermission until January 17th,
1862, on which last day, 3 o'clock p. jr., fell tremendous tori-entsof water, ac-
companied by loud claps of thunder and vivid lightning. Soon the little irri-
gating streams of the city flowed on as usual, and the traces of the storm
were easily effaced. In "fact they were but little more serious than that of
Christmas day, 1860 ; or of November 29th 1859, which was acknowledged to
have "accomplished miracles for the good of the country." For many years
this of December-January, (1861-62) was the heaviest that had fallen. The
city dam was damaged ; some adobe houses fell ; travel on the roads was con-
siderably impeded ; the South-east gales delayed the arrival of the Brother
Jonathan at San Pedro. At El Monte the San Gabriel river made a new
channel, entering near the town of Lexington ; but the danger was soon avert-
ed by the energy of the inhabitants. On the Santa Ana, at Anaheim, the
overflow was rather advantageous than otherwise, to the vineyards. Some
thirty miles higher up, by accessions of torrents from the mountain creeks
of San Bernardino, on the night of January 17th,the flood destroyed the thriv-
ing New Mexican settlement of Agua Mansa (Gentle Water). There was no
loss of life, the sleeping inhabitants having timely alarm by the bells of their
Church ; but every former sign of culture w^as obliterated by the waste of
sand which the rush of waters spread over the whole valley, and five hun-
dred souls, houseless, were turned out upon the surrounding hills. These
rains extended to the rivers San Diego and Mohave. On the banks of the
first, at the town of San Diego, improvements had begun to be made, in for-
getfulness of the experience of 1811 and 1825 and 1840. Boats brought oft'
the women and children. The Mohave, which seldom reaches the Colorado,
on January 20th had swollen that river, and Fort Yuma was an island. Not
a drop of these rains had fallen at Fort Yuma, or on the Colorado Desert.
For this fact we are indebted to Dr. Prentiss, Surgeon TJ. S. A. at Fort Carle-
ton, and Lieut. Nichols, who left Fort Yuma January 20th and came to San
Bernardino in four and a half days by San Gorgonio Pass. At Algodones,
on the river Colorado, where Dr. P. encamped the first day, that river rose
six feet during the night. Lieut. Nichols went one day forty-five miles ■with-
out water. February 4th, at night, the Senator, Capt. Seely, encountered oft'

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 53

Point Coucepcion the severest gale that he had ever experienced on this
coast. Tlie same day, at 10 o'cloclv a. m., at San Bernardino, a shocli of
eartliquake was felt, lasting a second ; oscillation from east to west.

No permanent injury has been done here, nor in California, by "earth-
quakes," since December 8th, 1813, when San Juan Capistrano and La
Purissima Churches were destroyed. There were sensible shocks in July,
1855, April 14th, May 3d, and September 30th, 1856. The shock of Friday,
January 9th, 1857, was at twenty-five minutes past eight o'clock in the
morning.

On the 10th and 17th, and subsequently, accounts of the phenome arena
published in the Star, from which we summarize these interesting facts.
At Los Angeles, the morning was calm, cool and clear, the sun shining
brightly. The earth's motion was very gentle at first, those sitting at table
supposing some one was shaking it; gradually it increased in violence till
every house, with all its contents, were seen to rock from side to side, as if
about to topple over. There were three distinct shocks — the pause between
them being perceptible only to those who have long lived m countries where
earthquakes are more common than here. The duration of the oscillation
was fully two minutes. The vibration from north to south. In half an hour
after another sliock occurred, much less violent; another within an hour
from that, and during the day a number of slight vibrations. At five o'clock
in the afternoon, a shock occurred almost as severe as the first, which was
followed at intervals by slight motions till about eleven o'clock,^ when another
heavy one occurred. Dunng the night several other vibrations were felt.
On Saturday there were several slight shocks, with one severe one about
eleven o'clock at night. Sunday was quiet till about eleven o'clock at night,
when a pretty strong vibration was felt, and thereafter at intervals during the
night. Monday, many say they felt shocks through the day. After that day
the earth remained quiet. Through this county it was felt variously, but
most sensibly at Fort Tejon ; also, in San Bernardino, San Diego, and Santa
Barbara Counties ; at Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Jose, Stockton, San Fran-
cisco, Sacramento, Marysville.

" The waters of the Mokelumne, below Benson's Ferry, then much swollen
by the late rains, were turned for a time over the surrounding country, leav-
ing its bed nearly bare, while trees were settled several feet into the ground,
and limbs were broken from others by the violent motion." — Sacrmneiito Age.

"The movement was undulating, from north to south, without damage
either to persons or property."— ^''^rn^//;^'//^/ Union.

"In San Jose Valle}^ the <inly daniimi' was the cuttmg otF or reducing
in volume the streams of several "of our artesian wells. In some instances
the water has entirely ceased to flow to the surface, and in others, the stream
was for a time greatly increjjsed, and then subsided to about its former size."
— San Jose Tribune.

"In the Counties of Santa Cruz and Monterey, it was a pretty hard
shock, yet no buildings were atfected." — PadfiG Sentinel.

" At San Francisco, all the accompaniments of a second-class earthquake
were experienced." — *S'. F. Herald.

"At Santa Barbara several houses were injured, but no lives lost."

William Denton, Esq., describes the shock at the upper crossing of the
Mohave River, fifty miles from San Bernardino. Commencing with a harsh,
grating noise, the motion of the earth became very violent, and lasted between
thirty or forty seconds ; two motions, apparently, vertical and oscillating.
With great difficulty lie could keep his feet. At night, in camp, he expe-
rienced two more shocks — about nine and eleven o'clock— which were not
severe; the wind very high at the time. The first shock, at the Mohave
crossing, was immediately succeeded l)y an appalling noise. At Kern Lake,
the water in the river was forced back^ and rose over tlie banks about four
feet. All information makes the force of the shock gradually less as it
approached northward — from Fort Tejon.

54 LOS ANGELES COUNTY

At Fcjit Tt'jau it ^va^ more severe than iu an}- oilier part of the Stiitc,and
K tlius (IcscrihcJ iu a pul)li-,licd letter to the Slur, from Ahjuzo C. Vrakeman,
(2uartL'rma;-ter\s Deputy, U. S. A., of date January 11th, lS,->r:

"The tir>l shock took i^lacc aLout thirty minutes past siv o'clock a. m.,
on Friday, .Tauue.ry i)th, ^\hich A\a- succeeded, at twenty minutes previous to
nine o'clock a. m., by a tcrritic slunk. The vibration-i have continued, at
interval >, up to tlie preheat tin\c, say ii\c o'clock r. m. The earth has opened
in many places for a distance of tn cut^y miles. Amon^si Hi" n-irniw escapes
from tallin-- bui!dim;'s, is that of the lady of Captain li ' .a, A-^si.^.

iant Quarterma- icr, ^vllo is absent from the post on olhv . -i, Li<'Ut.

Col. B. L. Ceali, commanding the jiost, Avho had bar.'!. m.,> . ^ tinu' to
escape from his bed amid4 ""tlu' iMliirj,- of planter, the c'.., -iiinu oi maleiial,
tailing of chimneys, etc. The liac ni dl ruption seems tn cMei.ii ;i-(,ri -oath
east to northwesr. I\[r. David ^\'. Alexander, in fnun San kinii;dii> Ilaucuo,
reports that the beds of man_y .small streams have bei n enlarged, and no^^
form almo.-t rivers; anil that immense numbers of ll-h liaxe been throvru
out of the lakes ujjon the dry land. On January 2()ih, another severe shock
was felt, and \ ilirations liad b •( n of frequent occurrer.i e m( anwhile. The
irooj.s lieiook thcm.sehes u, tlR^ir tents'. The laul !',i_ ■. ■•:i.i' d ))v Lieut,
r,.]. Be.dl, Major Blake, :,[aior (4ricr,Li( 1 ' '■ aid

"[Ih i .'u.'.eall cracked ami variou-ly ii, Ir,

a- \,.. lound out on cooh r insjjeciiw.i."

Since 1857, there has iieen no shock in this section of the State tliai has
attracted more than a slighl notice irom the inhabitants i.-cieivrlly;

Certandy avc Ivavv not violated the maxim — "ha.-len :i'.v, ly." The Scna-
lor, Capt. Thomas Scehy, three times a mouth, and the o..-;c;icl stage three
times a week, in the Summer of 185!>, were god sends to the pu!/ii>-. At sea,
we were glad to have ]iarted with Ohio, Goliah, Sea Bird, and Souliieruer, al-
though memory is true to the ]>leasant coiiii>aiiionshij) of their ITalevs and
other officers. ' On land we hailed "Wells, Fa-o e; ( \.., April 11, V^r)l] when
'■Buck" — A. AV. Buchanan, Esq. — caiue dowa io ^.-iahUsh a branch ; and have
pardoned Orcgory's great Atlantic anil Paeiiic K:qire;^s, of IS.'il, andthe mails
— a nKmth and nineteiai days from the East. AVe v.elconn.'d Paul and Chap-
man June 4t]i, isr;!), with iiieir '•ren-ular line once a week" to San Diego —
180 miles. What a contrast : The present, vdth the stages of David Smith
semi-moutldy to Visalia, .'.le.il, 1837, and this, when a little over two years
before we luid made the Tejon road, at a cost of $6,000. The same year we
had three wind-mills in the county. January 7, IS.-.H, TTeman C. Cardwell
had just introduced Ilovey's seedling strawberiaes. l'\) to September, IBrM,
there Averc no bee-hives in the county.' January 1st, I:s7G, there were 10,o8t)
Jiives. Then, too, "the finest orchard in Southern California," said the Star,
was that of Wm. M. Stockton, near San Gabriel ]^Jission, in sight of Fair}-
Lake Vineyard. The first U. S. patent v/as issued iu 18.")',) to Don Manuel Do-
miuguez, for San Pedro rancho. "We did not uct the telegraph until the end
of 18tiO. Travel liad so far improved by December, lS(;i,'tluit Cattick tt Go's
stages were aide to "leave Los Angeles'on .Mondays and Thursdays, return-
ing Tuesdays and S.alnrdays" — 02 miles; daily "we go to breakfast at Los
Angei;s, tj'oni San Bernardino, and back to it's fountains and groves ere
nightfall. In the full fruition of railway communication between the At-
lantic and Pacihc — v»ilh a promise from every "sign of the limes" of new
lines ol travel between ocean and ocean over other sections of our country —
we may not forget that the first earnest puldic announcement of such bless-
ing emanated from a gentleman who v,'as then and is a citizen of Los Ange-
les. John J. Warner, being on a visit to Connecticut (his native Stale), by
request of friends, prepared a lecture on Califoini;;. This was delivered be-
fore a society at Rochester, JST. Y., and afterwai'ds at L'pper Middletowu.
Conn., in the latter part of the year 1810; and ( arly in 1841, portions of the
same were published in the New York Journal of Commerce. Mr. W. ad-
vanced and demonstrated the proposition that the trade of Eui'ope and the At-
lantic States of the Union, with China, could be carried across the continent

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 5r>

more advantageously by rail than by a ship canal at Panama. To him, then,
we give the meed of praise for the first suggeslion of this great enterprise.

San Pedro was often lively in 1840 — and had been so in Mission times
— by tlu! trading vessels engaged, with active competition, in the purchase of
hides and tallow. Francis Melius gives a list of those on this coast, Ausfust
23d of that year, thirteen in number, as follows: "Ships— California (Capt.
Arthur), Alciope (Clapp), Monsoon (Vincent), Alert (Phelps); Barques— In-
de.x (Scott), Clara (Walters); Hermaphrodite brigs— Leouidas (Stevens), Aya-
cucha (Dare) ; Brigs-— Juan Jose (Duukio), Bolivar (Nye); Schooners — Fly
(Wilson), California (Coopei-), Nymph, formerly Norse (Fitch), and two more
expected." From 1844 to 1849 "the merchants at Los Angeles city were,
John Temple, Abel Stearns, Charles W. Flugge — found dead September 1st,
1852, on the plains below tliis city— B. D. Wilson and Albert Packard (Wil-
son & Packard), and Alexander Bell. To these add, in 1849, Antonio Cota,
Jose Antonio Menendez, from Spain; Juan Domingo, Netherlands; Jose
Mascarel, of Marseilles, and John Belm, of Grand Dutcliy Baden. The last
named came in 1848. He quit business in the Fall of 18o3, died December
6th, 18G8. Madame Salandie is to be added to those of '49. She came on
the same ship with Lorenzo Lecke from Pennsylvania in that year, started at
once a little store, butcher sho]), loaning moiicy, and general speculation.
Juan Domingo came lo California in 1829, by '.vay of Ijima, married here,
was quite noted, dic'd December 20th, 1858.

The first steamer that ever visited San Pedro was the Goldhunter, in
1849 — a side-wheel, which made the voyage from San Francisco to Mazatlan,
touching at way ports. The next was the old Ohio. At San Pedro, from
1844 to 1849, Temiile Ov Alexander — D. W. Alexander — had the only general
store, and they carried on all the forwarding business. The first four-wheel
vehicle in this county, except an old-fashioned Spanish carriage belonging
to the IMission Priests, was a rockaway carriage which this firm bought of
Capt. Kane, Major Graham's Quartermaster, in January, 1849, paying him
$1,000 for the carriage and two xVmeiican horses. It created a'sensation
like that of the first Wilmington railway car on the 2Gth day of October,1868.
Goods were forwarded to Los Angeles, twenty-four miles, in carts, each with
two yoke of oxen, yoked b}^ the horns. The regular train was of ten carts,
like the California frt/VY^/x. Tlu body was the same, liut they had spoked
wheels tired, which were imported fnJm Boston. Freight was $1.00 per hun-
dred weight; now it is $1.00 per ton. This slyle of importation continued
until after 1850. The firststageline was started Ijv Alexanders & Banning
in 1852; the next by that man of iron, J. J. Tom'linscm, whose death was
early for the public good, June 7th, 1867. In 1851, D. W. Alexander pur-
chased at Sacramento ten heavy freight wagons that had been sent in from
Salt Lake by Ben Holliday, and in 1853 a wnoie train, fourteen wagons and
168 mules, that had come through from Chihuahua, paying therefor $23,000.
So ox-carts were supplanted.

Alexander & Melius became a new firm, at Los Angeles City, in 1850,
continuing until 1856. Wilson &• Packard dissolved December, 1851. John
Temple and Alexander Bell kept up their separate stores. Other mer-
chants of 1850 were: Jacob Elias, Charles Ductmimon, Samuel Arbuekle,
Waldemar, O. W. Childs, and J. D. Hicks— Childs & Hicks; Charles Bur-
roughs, who died May 30th, 1856; M. Michaels, H. Jacol)y, of violin celeb-
rity, and who went rich to Europe; Jr^'dan, Jose Vicente Guerrero, Jose
Maria Fuentes, Jose Baltazar, of Prussia, Kimpau, Fritze & Co., with Morris
L. Goodwin, Clerk, John Belm and Frank Laumeistre, a German; afterward,
in the same j'ear, Behn & Lamitre, and Mattias Savichi. This estimable
gentleman was of Dalmatia. He died June, 1852, at sea, bound from Saiul
Thomas to London, leaving two young sons, of whom Francisco Savichi
survives, a ])rominent citizen of Los Angeles. Georg-c Walters also had
commenced business in this year. He was born at New Orleans, April 22d,
1809. After trapping and trading adventures in the Rocky Mountains, at
Fort Hall, and elsewhere, under Captain Wyatt, and teaming between West-

56 LOS ANGELES COUNTY

port, Bent's Fort, and Uanta Fe, at last, near the end of 1844, he left New-
Mexico, in company of Jim Beckwith, James Waters (of San Bernardino),
and others, and made his home at Los Angeles ; and was not long in becom-
ing one of the Chino prisoners, with B. D. Wilson and Louis Roubidoux.
He enjoys advancing age, in the possession of good property. Mr. Wilson
T\ftas Indian Agent, for Southern California, in 1853; in the same year made
his place on Alameda street, which he sold to the Sisters of Charity for their
Institute ; and in 1854 began to put into effect his plans for Lake'Vineyard.
He removed there in 1856. He was born at Nashville, Tennessee, in 1811 —
is still full of enterprise. Mr. Packard went to Santa Barbara, entered into
the practice of law, with horticultural improvements; is well ofl'. John O.
Wheeler and Osias Morgan — Wheeler & Morgan, until September, 1853 — be-
gan in September, 1841), with trading establishments at Riucon, San Luis
Rev, Pala, Agua Calieute. In May, 1850, after John Glanton had been killed
by "the Indians, they put up a branch at Fort Yuma. They, in fact, succeeded
Wilson & Packard", in tlieir store, in August, 1850. Mr. Morgan died several
years ago. Mr. Wheeler was Clerk of the U. S. District Court, of the
Southern District of California, from 1861 until its discontinuance, in 1866 ;
then Deputy Clerk of the Circuit Court; from 1870 to 1873, Chief Clerk of
the California Indian Superintendency, Col. B. C. Whiting, Superintendent;
Deputy Collector of U. S. Internal Revenue of Second Division, First Dis-
trict, comprising Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego Counties,
which office he resigned January 1st, 1876.

In 1851, '52, '53, appear Lazard, Arbuckle «& Bauman, Lazard & Bauman,
S. Lazard & Co., Lazard & Kremer ; Douglass & Sanford, 1852 ; Childs, Hicks
& Wadhams (O. W. Childs, horticulturi'st, since 1850); Thomas Brown &
Prudent Beaudry; Myles & Hereford— Dr. Henry R. Myles; Bauman &
Katz ; Hoffman & Laublieim ; P. Beaudry & Armand Lemaitre until Decem-
ber, 1852, then P. Beaudry & Co.: Thomas S. Hereford; J. S. Mallard.
January, 1853, there were three large dry goods' stores, and ten or more
smaller houses that also kept a general assortment. Half a dozen others sold
groceries and provisions exclusively. The liquor shop — its name was
" legion." John Schumacher was here in 1848, one of Colonel Stevenson's
regiment ; went to the mines ; returned in the Spring of 1853 ; put up a^
grocery and provision store. He is of Wirtemberg. In the same year he
introduced lager bier, from San Francisco. It was not manufactured at Los
Angeles until Christopher Kuhn, of Wirtemberg, established a brewery, in
the latter part of 1854. John Kays was a good baker, 1847 ; John Behn
afterward, awhile. Confectionery was made in 1850, by Papier; Joseph
Leloug followed with the Jenny Liud Bakery, February 14th, 1851. French
bread was used altogether, unt"il August Ulyard commenced his bakery, in

1853. Lorenzo Lecke arrived November 5th, 1849. He was born in Den-
mark, February 25th, 1810 ; bought out John Behn, commenced a store inj

1854, and perseveres in trade at the age of 66. The merchants of 1853, be-
sides those already mentioned, were "Joseph Newmark, Jacob Rich, and
J. P. Newmark — Rich & Newmark ; John Jones, who was the first wholesale
liquor dealer, at the corner of Main and Commercial streets — Polaski &
Goodwin's now; Jacob Morris, J. L. JMorris and Morritz Morris— Morris
Bros.; Felix Bachman, Philip Sichel and Samuel Laubheim — Bachman &
Co,; Harris Newmark and E. Loeweuthal — Newmark & Loewenthal; H.K.
S. Labatt ; Samuel Meyer and Loewenstein— Hilliard & Meyer ; M. Norton
and E. Greenbaum— Norton & Greenbaum ; H. Goldberg, I Cohen, July 8th ;
Charles R. Johnson and Horace S." Allauson — Johnson «fc Allanson ; Heiman
Tischler, Barrouch Marks and Loeb Schlessinger — B. Marks & Co. ; Matthew
Lanfranco; Douglass, Foster & Wadhams; Juan T. Laufranco, Louis Phil-
lips, H. Hellman, Casper Behrend. In 1854, Adolph Portugal, O. W. Childs,
Samuel Prager, Jacob Letter, M. Pollock and L. C. Goodwin — Pollock &
Goodwin. 1855, Wolf Kalisher, Charles Prager, Potter & Co., Wm. Corbett,
Geo. F. Lamson, P. C. Williams, J. G. Nichols, Dean & Carson, I. M. Hell-
man, B. Cohen and Morritz Schlessinger — Cohen & Schlessinger; L. Glaser
& Co., Louis Cohen. 1856, Calisher & Cohen, Henry Wartenberg— W. Kal-
isher & Co., in 1857 ; Mendel Meyer, H. G. YaiTow. 1857, Samuel Hellman..

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 5T

1859, Isaias W. Hellman, emiaent since as banker, L. Leon, Corbett& Barker,
Wm. Nordholt, David Solomon, H. Fleishman and Julius Sichel — Fleishman
& Sichel. 1860, Edward Newman and Isaac Schlessinger, Jean B.Trudell—
in company with Lazards; Domingo Rivara. 1861, M. W.jChilds, Decem-
ber 20th. — The mercantile link continues to the present day as follows: J. H.
Still & Co., booksellers and stationery, 1863 ; H. D. Barrows and J. D. Hicks
—J. D. Hicks & Co., 1864; Eugene Meyer and S. Lazard— S. Lazard & Co.,
1864; Polaski & Goodwin, 1865; Thomas Leahy, Samuel B. Caswell and
John F. Ellis— Caswell & Ellis, 1866; Eugene Meyer and Constant Meyer-
Eugene Meyer & Co. Potter & Co, consisted of Nehemiah A. Potter and
Louis Jaziusky. The latter gentleman soon afterward went into business at
San Francisco. Mr. Potter was born in 1809, at Cumberland, Rhode Island ;
he died at this city May 6th, 1868, leaving one son — Oscar Potter. George
Alexander, in 1873, removed to Columbia, California. Francis Melius was
born at Salem, Massachusetts, February 3d, 1824 ; came to this coast, landing
first at Santa Barbara, January 5th, 1839 ; died at Los Angeles City, Septem-
ber 11th, 1864. He married Miss Adelaida Johnson ; she survives him, with
seven children. Mrs. Melius is a daughter of Don Santia^ Johnson, an
Englishman who had lived in Sonora, and come to this Coast in the year
1833. He married Dona Maria del Carmen Giurado, sister of the wives of
Don Manuel Requena and Alexander Bell. He died, at the age of 49 years,
late in the Summer of 1846. Brought early in contact with men like A. B.
Thompson, of Santa Barbara, David Speuce, of Monterey, Abel Stearns,
Alfred Robinson, W. D. M. Howard, and himself having received the ordi-
nary Boston High School education of that day— which must have been
good, for at 15 years he understood French and navigation, and was a neat
draftsman — Mr. Melius soon amassed the maxims of experience which fitted
him to succeed in the California trade. His spirit and independence are_
worthy to be made a model by youth just entering among the currents and'
shoals of commercial life. " March 4th, 1839, — The Bolivar arrived from
the islands," we quote from his diary: "March 9th. — I went aboard as
clerk for Mr. Thompson, at $300 for the first year and $500 for the next,
which I think is a most excellent salary for me. I hope from this time for-
ward to be a burden to nobody, but look out for myself."

Bachman & Co. invested deeply in the Salt Lake trade. Merchants were
the soul of every enterprise formed to develop the resources and expand the
commerce of this country. Fortunes were rapidly accumulated. Some sped
away to fatherland to spend the rest of their days. Solomon Lazard having
once more beheld "la belle France," returned, March, 1861, to our sunshine
and flowers. Mendel Meyer studied the Vienna Exposition and wandered
the world over in gratification of a rare musical taste, "but to feel better at
home," as he often saj^s. John Temple made the European tour in 1858. He
was born at Reading, Mass., August 14, 1796; came to California in 1828, by
way of the Sandwich Islands ; died at San Francisco May 30, 1866. Dona
Rafaela Cota, his widows is at Paris. Juan T. Lanfranco, of Italy, died May
20, 1875 ; his brother Mateo, October 4, 1873. Prudent Beaudry arrived at
San Francisco, A):)ril 26, 1850, and settled finally at Los Angeles, April 26,
1852. Beaudry's Block, on Aliso street, finished in November, 1857, was at
the time a surprise. What may we have said to "Beaudry Terrace" and its
oranges and other magical fruits of his energy? Edward Neuman, another
merchant, in the bloom of youih, was murdered in 1863, on the Cucamonga
plain.

In the explosion of the little steamer Ada Hancock, April 29tli, 1863,
near Wilmington, among many lost were, of our merchants, Wm. T. B. San.
ford. Dr. Heiiry R. Miles, Loeb Schlessinger; with Capt. Thomas Seeky, of
steamer Senator, Capt. J. S. Bryant, Fred Kerlin, Thomas Workman, the
youn^^ Albert S. Johnston, son of Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston. ]\Iiss Medora
Hereford, sister-in-law of Mr. B. D.Wilson, soon after died of injuries in this
deplorable calamity.

From a list of foreigners dated May 23d, 1886, in the Los Angeles ar-
chives, we make an extract of the nativity, etc., of prominent persons who

58 LOS AXGELES COUNTS

have acted — one of Avliom remains— upon the theatre wiiicli this sketch con-
templates:

Nativity.

Date of Arrival. Age.

J.J.Warner

?v^ Prvor

United States

United States

United States

United States

Uniled Slates

France

France

Italy

Scotland

mn

is-js

1S-JS

IN'3!)

is:;;!

is-'i)

23

M. Lauffhlin

:^4

S. Prentice

fj. Carpenter

4!)

L. V. Prndhomnie

lis;',.-.

IS'.^T

IS'H

1824

o~

:;i

Santiago McKinly

80

Several of them v^jre eo.'^iK'Cted "vvilh la.r,^e hiiided interests derived
from the former Goveniraenl. I'c.or Ferguson, (*ld seiihT as lie vras, failed in
ISoO to get even a town lot on his liuml)le i)et!tion to tlie Ayuntamiento.
Lemuel Cai'jienter houii'Iit Santa (;lertnules rancho from the Xieto heirs. He
died NoN ember, IS,-)'); Bouehet, October 2;5d, 1847; Pryor, May, 1850; Laugh-
liu, December <jth, 1S46 ; Prudhommc, May Sth, 1871. This is Xathanicl M.
Pryor, frcipiently mentioned with favor in the local anmds. The diary of
Mr. Melius has "an entry touching liis first wife, and is illusti'ative of the fu-
neral custom of those days: "On Friday, September 4, 1840, at about four
lionrs A. .M., ]\[. Pryor, an American, was dei)rived of Ids wife, only about
17 years of age, after a long sicicness. On Satunlay morning slie vas buried
in the Churcli, on tlie left hand side, facing the altar." In"l845 the mother
of Don Pio Pico was buried in the same manner. In 1847 the Priest pro-
posed to pay tliis honor to Aliredo Fl ores, infant sou of Gen. Jose ]\Iai-i:i
Flores, but the A3'untamiento opposed it, and lie was buried in the "Canipo
Santo," says the parish record. Pablo Pryor, of San Juan, is sou of Nathan-
iel M. Pryor. The families of Richard Laughlin, and Leon Victor,
Prudliomme reside in this city. Of all the foreigners resident liere in the
year 1845, tliere are living as follows : French — Pierre Domec, Autoine La-
borie, Jose Mascarel, John Taite; Ganadians— Elijah T. Moulton, Matias
Bourke; Irish— D. W. Alexander, Dr. Ivichard S. Den; English— Henry Dal-
ton, Michael White; Americaus—Ii. D. "Wilson, F. P. F. Temple, George
Walters.

The arrival of the emigrants in El Monte gave the first decided impulse
lo agriculture in this county, encouraged business in the city of Los Angeles,
and ever since has aided it'materiall}-. This great farming tract lies along
tlie San Gabriel river, twelve miles east of the city. The soil in general does
not need irrigation. There is much of interest in its history. Suffice to say,
society is as well organized as in any part of the United States. The settlers
of 1851, July, wei-eira W. Tlxmipson, Samuel ]\L Heath, Dr. Oljcd Macy
and son, Oscar .Mae}-, now residing in this citj^, F. W. Gibson, Nicholas
Smith, J. Coburn, J. Sheldon, — Chisholm — and ]\Irs. John Roland, who now
resides atPueute. Fifty odd families came in tlie year 1S52, or early in 1853.
AVe can mention but a few belonging to these two years: J. A. Johnson,
William C Lee, Samuel King and three sous (one of them Andrew J. King,
Esq., of this cit^). Dr. T. A. Mayes, S. Bennett, A. Bacon, W. J. Willis, Ed-
moudTj'ler and two sons, John Thurman and seven sons, David Lewis, Wm.
Rubottom, Ezekiel Rubottom, Samuel Thompson, Cliaiies Gunningham,
John Guess; Cudderback, Boss, the Hildreths. Jonatlian Tibbetts came No-
vember 27, 1853; in 1852, Thomas A. Garey, since become the great horticul-
turist of this county. Adjoining El ^Nlonte, on the east, lies La Puente
rancho, of 48,700 acres, granted July 22d, ISf), to John Roland and William
Workman. Only a few'miles further eastward is tlie^ fertile A'alley of San
Jose, Los Nogales ranchito, about 500 acres, gi'anted ]\Iarcli 13, 1840, to Jose
de la Cruz Linares ; and next, Stm Jose de Palomai'cs, of 22,720 acres, granted

CENTENNIAL IIISTOIIY. ")»

in the year 1837 to Ricardo Vejar, Iguacio Pi'.lomares and I.uis Arenas. The
grand 'railway trunk of the Southern Paeific runs throutrh it to-day. Il
formed a connected settlement for several miles from near Roland's, chiefly
of New, Mexicans. This was a colony which John Roland gathered at Taos,
Albuquerque and other pueblos of of New Mexico, in 1841. Under the lead-
ership of Don Santiago Martmez they accompanied Mr. Roland in that year
to California. A portion of them under Don Lorenzo Trujillo planted them-
selves at Agua Mansa, on the Santa Ana river, six miles south of San Bernar-
dino, the rest in this valley. Time has made many cluing!"! sinre 1S50, but
has well tested the productiveness of it-; soil, uiioa wliicli U)\v'.:~ Ix'gin to
flourish— Spadra, Pomona. Ghn-lnii^te, or jiiildi'w, never uliVi-i'-j \W wheat
of San Jose. Long after 18.jO, -were to be sr-cn the adobe ruins cf I he great
granaries which tiie Padres built in front (if William "Workman's dwelling,
to store the gi'ain harvested on the plain_ol' La Puenfe. The original settle-
ment exists, missing mauj^ whose kindness memory eherislii s — Ybarras, Al-
varados, ^Jartinez, * * *• *

The foundation of the German colony at Anaheim in iS^.T/m what seemed
a sandy waste, is an event, the magnitude of which v.-e have not yet seen.
Its founders designed the largest Vineyard in the world. The first vines
were set out in January and" February, 1858, as indeed Avas perfected the
whole plan, under the direction of George Hansen, Superintendent. It lies
twenty-four miles south-east of this city. The first settlers were about fifty
in number. The present population within and immediately surrounding it
exceeds tv,-o thousand. It is the second town in the county. _ The colony
was organized as above first mentioned as the "Los Angeles Vineyard Com-
pany," under a Board of Trustees in San Francisco; President, Otmar Caler;
Vice-President, G. Ch. Kohler ; Treasurer, Cayrus Beythien ; Secretary, John
Fischer. A ditch fiA'c miles in length, from Santa Ana, supplies water for
all uses. While Anaheim Avas unconceived, Santa Ana, at Teodosio Yorba's
gave the earliest grapes in the county; and -up the river to Don Bernardo
Yorba's, presented a settlement of Californians, contented and happy. Their
loss was great when the head and front of everything useful or elegant
among them had gone — Don Bernardo. lie died November 20, 1858, a very
large number of children and grand-children surviving him. His estate in
part consisted of 1,000 head of cattle, of all classfs, valued at $84,000, and his
real property at $30,035, iMay l,ls.",;i. Dmi Tondosio Yorba, his brother,
died February 5, 1863 TJie first thiuugli train of the Southern Pacific rail-
road, from Los Angeles to Anaheim, ran January 14, 1875 . Anaheim origi-
nally was part of the rancho San Juan Cajonde Santa Ana, granted May 13,
1837, to Don Juan Pacifico Ontiveras by Gov. Juan B. Alvarado.

The extensive territoiy comprised within San Bernardino formed part of
Los Angeles county until the passage of the Act of the Leo-islature, approved
April 20, 1853, which created that new county. Its organization was perfec-
ted under that Act by an election held according to notice of Messrs. Isaac
Williams, David Seeley, 11. G. Sherwood, and John Brown. A colony of
Mormons was established in the year 1851 upon the site of the present city
of San Bernardino, which was then a part of a tract of land granted June 21.
1843, by Gov. Juan B. Alvarado to Jose del Carmen Lugo, Jose M;u-ia Lugo,
Vicente Lugo, and Diego Sepulveda, containing eight leagues, or 35,510 acres.
In November, 1851, Amasa Lyman and Charles Rich, Mormon Apostles,
having completed their first payment of -$13,000, entered into possession, and
it was deeded to them February 15, 1853. That county includes former
ranchos of Los Angeles county, as Chino, Chcamongo, Jurupa and others.
The child has grown up to a vigorous manhood. The people liave always
been remarkable for industrj', enterprise, and good financial management in
l)ublic allairs. The separation was not injurious to the city of Los Angeles.
Until within five or six years past, a brisk and valuable ti-ade Avas carried on
betAveen the two places, "in lumber, general ag."icultural produce, hides and
wool— three-fourths on cash; and still there is some trade. San Bernardino
county possesses vast resources, mineral and agricultural, that remain to be
developed. There is no real antagonism of interests bet^\'■een these two coun-
ties, and the kindly sympathy of the past deserves to be fostered and pre-
served in future.

60 LOS ANGELES COUNTY

The policy of sub-divisiou of the Mexican grants, which has so much
aided agricultural progress in Los Angeles county, commenced in earnest in
the year 1865, although earlier efibrts were made in that direction. May 21,
1851, Henry Dalton, of Azusa, published a project for dividing two leagues,
near 9,000 acres, into small farm lots, to suit purchasers, on the most favora-
ble terms, with "a beautiful site for a town," which he intended laying out
as soon as the wants of trade and settlers might require ; and also to have a
merchant flouring mill near by. Long since the promising settlement of
Duarte has grownup in his neighborhood. October 23, 1852, John O.
Wheeler ofiered in small farms of fiftj^ acres, his rancho San Francisquito,
near San Gabriel Mission. These proposals may have been premature, al-
though there are some reasons to think that settlers might have taken them
up more profitably than by wasting time, in some instances, upon supposed
public land, the title to .which is even now undetermined. In 1855, Don An-
tonio Maria Lugo, owner of San Antonio rancho, nearly 30,000 acres, lying
between Los Angeles city and San Gabriel river, and finally granted to him
in 1838,partitioned the same — reserving a homestead for himself — among his
sons, Jose Maria, Felipe, Jose del' Carmen, Vicente, Jose Antonio, and
daughters. Dona Vicenta Perez, Dona Maria Antonia Yorba, and Dona Mer-
ced Foster. In 1860, Dona Merced Foster and Don Vicente Lugo sold their
respective portions to parties who immediately resorted to sub-division and
sales in small lots. The first deed is from Isaac Heiman, dated June 21, 1865,
to David Ward ; followed by several other sales in 1865 and 1866 to Jameson
and others. But before this, Gov John G. Downey had commenced the sub-
division of Santa Gertrudes rancho, lying along San Gabriel river and con-
taining near 22,000 acres. His first deed is of date April 22, 1865, to J. H.
Burke. Others followed to Neighbors and Hutchinson, and many after-
w^ard. This last is the locality known as Los Nietos. It had a settlement of
over two hundred persons in 1836, broken up subsequently. Here is Down-
ey City, twelve miles south-east from Los Angeles — a newspaper, business
houses, a happy circle of farmers, with good title, upon a soil as rich as can
be found on the face of the earth. This, with all the river land, and into El
Monte, is our "corn county," emphatically. It deserves to be mentioned
that Mr. Dalton did complete his promised flouring mill at Azusa, Oct. 19,
1855, and from wheat raised on his own rancho made an excellent quality of
flour.

From 1850 to 1860, and thereabouts, the cattle trade and shipment of
grapes were the main reliance for money. The cattle sold to go out of the
county, in the former year, were estimated at 15,000 head, at $15 per head.
Subsequent years, until 1856, show a constant demand for stock, if not so
great ; in this year it was considered that $500,000 had been invested in cattle
and sheep, to be taken away. In 1860, there were still 78,000 head of cattle,
three-fifths of which belonged to native Californians, and, in part, distributed
as follows :

Abel Stearns, 12,000 ; Juan Abila, 7,200 ; John Rolaud, 5,000 ; William
Workman, 5,000; Williams' estate, 5,000; John Temple, 4,000; Ricardo
Vejar, 3,500; Bernardo Yorba, 3,500: Ignacio del Valle, 3,500; Teodosio
Yorba, 3,500 ; Leonardo Cota, 2,500 ; Vicente Lugo, 2,500 ; Pio and Andres
Pico, 2,000; Agustin Machado, 2,000; Nasario Dominguez's estate, 2,000;
Felipe Lugo, 1,000; Valdez family, 1,000; Enrique Abila, 1,000; Fernando
Sepulveda, 1,000.

Making just allowance for defective assessments, the amount was prob-
ably considerably — one third — beyond this estimate. The drought of the
years 1863 and 1864, was more or less destructive throughout California. In
Los Angeles County, 1865 began with 90,450 head ol cattle, 15,529 horses,
282,000 sheep. In earlier times, sheep made little figure in the annual calcu-
lations of gain. In 1875, the total of flocks was counted at 508,757. From
1860 onward, wool became a staple, added to wine and brandy, orange and
other fruits, wheat and corn. According to the Report ot the County Sur-
veyor, January 15th, 1876, the product of the wool was 2,034,828 pounds.
Horned cattle were reduced to 13,000 ; horses, 10,000.

All the oranges in 1850 were from the Mission orchard of San Gabriel,
and the gardens of Louis Vignes and William Wolfskill. June 7th, 1851,

CENTENNIAL HISTOKY. 61

Mr. Vigaes offered for sale his "desirable property, El Alizo " — so called
from the superb sycamore tree, many centuries old, that shaded his cellars.
He says : " There are two orange gardens that yield from five to six thousand
oranges in the season." It is credibly stated that he was the first to plant
the orange in this city, bringing young trees from San Gabriel, in tlie year
1834. He had 400 peach trees, together with apricots, pear, apple, fig and
walnut, and adds: "The vineyard, with 40,000 vines, 32,000 now bearing
grapes, and will yield 1,000 barrels of wine per annum, the quality of which
is well known to be superior." Don Louis came to Los Angeles, by way of
tiie Sandwich Islands, in 1831— he was a native of France. One orange cul-
tivator added after another, January 1st, 1876, there were in this county
36,700 bearing orange trees, and 6,900 bearing lime and lemon trees. The
shipment of this fruit rapidly grew into a regular business. In 1851 there
were 104 vineyards, exclusive of that of San Gabriel— all but 20 within the
limits of the city. The San Gabriel vineyard, neglected since 1834, was now
in decaj'. In Spanish and Mexican times, it had been called " mother vine-
yard," from the fact that it supplied all the original cuttings; it is said to
have once had 50,000 vines. In 1875, the grape vines of this county were
4,500,000.

In 1851 grapes, in crates or boxes, brought 20 cents per pound at San
Francisco, 80 cents at Stockton. Through 1852 the price was the same.
Thi.sshipmentcontinuedseveralyears, in general with profit. Very little wine
was then shipped; in 1851, not over a thousand gallons. Soon the northern
counties began to forestall the market with grapes nearlj^ as good as our
own. Gradually the manufacture of wine was established. Wolfskill indeed
had, at an early date, shipped a little wine, but his aim was to turn his grapes
into brandy. Louis Wilhart, in 1849 and 1850, made white wine considered,
in flavor and quality, next to that of Vignes, who could produce from his
cellars a brand perhaps unexcelled through the world. He had some in 1857
then over 20 years old — perhaps the same the army relished so well in 1847,
as before intimated. Among the first manufacturers for the general market
was Vincent Hoover, with his father. Dr. Juan Leonce Hoover, first at the
' Clayton Vineyard," which, owing to its situation on the bench, produced a
superior grape ; then from the vineyard known as that of Don Jose Serrano.
Some of the vines in this last named, are stated to be 95 years old. This was
from 1850 to about 1855. The cultivation of the grape too, about this time,
took a new impulse. At San Gabriel, Wm. M. Stockton, in 1855, had an ex-
tensive nurseiy of grape vines and choice fruit trees. Dr. Hoover was an
emigrant of 1849, by the Salt Lake route. He died October 8th, 1862, after a
life somewhat eventful. He was born February 11th, 1792, in Canton Argau,
Switzerland ; graduated as a physician at Lyons, France ; was surgeon in the
army of Napoleon, and was at the burning of Moscow. Mrs. Eve Hoover,
his wife, died September 11th, 1853, at the age of forty-one, a lady held in
high esteem, and at whose death by an accident, the whole community was
deeply aflected. Joseph Iluber, senior, came to Los Angeles for health from
Kentucky. In the year 1855, he entered successfully into wine-making at
the 'Foster vineyard.' He died aged 54 years, July 7, 1866 ; leaving a widow
and six children, who reside at Los Angeles. Louis Wilhart died November
6th, 1871. April 14, 1855, Jean Louis Sansevaine purchased the vineyard
property, cellars, etc., of his uncle, Louis Vignes, for $42,000 (by the by the
first large land sale within the city). Mr. Sansevaine had resided here since
1853. In 1855 he shipped his first wine to San Francisco. In 1856 he made
the first shipment from this county to New York, thereby becoming the
pioneer of this business. Mr. Matthew Keller says: "According to the
books of the great forwarding house of P. Banning at San Pedro, the
amount shipped to San Francisco in 1857, was 21,000 boxes of grapes, aver-
aging 45 pounds each, and 250,000 gallons of wine." In 1856 Los Angeles
yielded only 7,200 cases of wine ; in 1860 it had increased to 66,000 cases.
in 1861 shipments ot wine were made to New York and Boston by Benj. D.
Wilson and J. L. Sansevaine ; they are the fathers of the wine interest,
Sunny Slope, unexcelled for its vmtage — and the orange, almond and wal-
nut— was commenced by L. J. Rose in Januaiy, 1861. December, 1859, the
wine producers were : Matthew Keller, Sansevaine Bros., Frohling & Co.,

63 LOS ANGELES COUNTY

B. I). Wilson, Stevons & Bell, Dr. Parrott, Dr. TIios. J.. White, Laborie,
Messcr, BaniluircU, Delong, 8aula Ana pi'ccinct, Heury Daiton, P. Serres,
,rosci>h Ilubrr Sr., Ricardo Vcjar, Barrovrs, Balleriuo, Dr. Hoover, Louis
Williart, Tr.ilmc, Clement, Jose Perrano. The total manufacture of wiue
was ahnut •:.-,0.i;()0 .gallons ; in 187.""i, 1,:!'?8,n00 gallons, according to tlie ofli
<'ial report of the County Asses-or, January 1st, 187G.

Mcehaniea! industry exhibits a progrl'ss slov,' and difficult for the first
few years. 3[av 24, 1''yi\, cai-penters nioslly had gone 1o San Francisco,
where they cordd get higiicr v^-.iges. Early iii ISoO Capt. Alcxandicr Bell
eoninienee"il Bell's How, whicli is a number of well known little stores on
Los Angeles street, and an imiirovement which at the time made a sensation
This work was doii°, l-y Janres II. Barl<in and William Xordholdt (a man of
'49,) through that and the succeeding year. After the election of Barton to
the Shcrillalty Nordholdt carried on "the business of carpenter until 1859,
when he established himself in his present store. Feb. 19, 1853, Andorsou
& Matthev\-s advertised as carriage makers, carjienters and joiners. AVilliam
Abbott came in 1853 from New Albany, Lidiana. October 1855, he started
the furniture business in a little frame Infuse about ten feet back from the
street, w-hich has grown into Hhe stately building next to the Pico House,
and the upper storj^ of which is the handsome INIerced Theatre — so named in
honor of his wife, Dona Merced Garcia. William H. Perry arrived F'ebru-
ary 1st, 1853; in May 1855, he formed a partnership with Ii'a Gilchrist, as
W. n. Perry & Co.; June, 1855, the firm was Perry 6: Brady— James D.
Brady. June, 1858, Wallace Woodworth bought Brady's interest, under the
style of Perry ct Woodworth. Their business was inside, cabinet, etc. Sep-
tember Gth, 18G1, Peri-y & Woodworth, ]Main street, had matured their pio-
neer saw and planing mills, wdth the manufacture of beediives, upholstery,
etc., and were prepared for contracting, building and furnishing._ In 1863
Stephen H. Mott entered into this. firm. Eli Ta\-or, now of Los Nietos, Avas
a carpenter in 1854. Others are as follows prior to 1859: George Stone, R.
E. Jackson, George Leonard, Matthew Teed, Thomas Grey {a farmer well
oif now of the Ciencga,) C. Perry Switzer, Peter Hendell, A. P. Bennett, Wil-
liam Coburu, P. C. Williams, Harris^Niles. John ]\!cLimond, Willis Stanton,
George Edgerton, W. Weeks, Antonio Heomle, William Cover, Herman
Muller, Herman Eoop, Charles Plaissanf. House and sign painters, prior to
1859 were Wm. Shanning, Moses Searles, Charles "iVinston, Tom Riley,
Forbes, Spilling, Yiereck, Turuboldl : plasterers prior to 1857, Joseph Nol)bs,
Thop. Stonehouse, Wm. McKinney; Newton Edoie came in that year. An^
drew Lehman, shoemaker, set up lae-i!v.'s-, November 4th, 185'?; it was three
years before he began to "make a li\inLr."' The stores engrossed the boot
and shoe trade. He was born in the < rrand Duchy of Baden, came across
the plains by St. Joseph, and last lV>)ni Cincinnati. One German shoemaker
preceded hiiu, but had left several months belbre. Afterward, prior to 1858
or 1859, came ]Morris and Weber. There was little to do for shoemakers
until since I8(i(). 15. J. A'irgin was architect, 1855. A^eireck, painter e>f ]-)o-
litical transparencies in 1852, left next year for Avant of employment; it nmst
have been for some other reason, he turned comedian at San Francisco. Jan-
nary 17th, 1857, C. M. Kechnie was ;i jiortrait painter. Henri Penelon af-
terward was a distinguished artist.

John Goller, blacksmith and pioneer wagon-maker, w;;- of the emi-
,gi-ants by the Salt Lake route. Louis Wilhart outfitted him v.itli tools and
helped him to customers. Iron works,as to cost,the native Calitornians were
stranuers to. One of them, as Coller used to saj", paid JjoOO for an awning
for tlfe front of his residence. The charge for shoeing a horse was |16.
Stores then were scarce of iron. Goller hunted up old tires thrown away on
the plains to make shoes. His first wagon remained on hand a good while.
The native; people gsized at it with curio.sity, but distrust, and went back to
their carretas. Few carriages Avere made 'during the first six or eight years.
E. L. Scott & Co. were carriage makers and blacksmiths in 1855. Louis
Boeder came to Los Angeles November 29, 1856, worked nine years for Gol-
ler, then bought out J. H.Burke,Avho is now a wealthy citizen of Los Nietos,
and in 1863, Avith William Schwartz, blacksmith, as partner, set up for him-
self on ]\lain street. Ben ^IcLauglilin also was a Avheelwright. Among the

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 03

early blacksmiths were Hiram McLaughlin, Charles F. Daley (killed Ly
Pancho Daniel's band, January, 1857), Van Dusen ; George Boorham, before
1856; Pleury King, 1850. John Wilson came August 20, 1858, and set up for
himself in 1868 ; James Baldwin, sometime after 1858. Of gunsmiths, Au-
gust 8toermer came in that year. He was preceded, March 16, 1855, by
Henry C. G. Schaeftcr. In the memory of old citizens, from his former fa-
miliar little adobe shop, it is a step into a garden where bloom choicest flow-
ers of the world. He is all devoted, at sixty-five, to floriculture. Sam. C.
Foy, Feb. 19, 1854, started his saddlery — the first to make any kind of har-
ness. John Foy joined his brother in the following Summer. Those spiri-
ted pioneers led the way soon to flourishing firms in the same liiu', — the
young brothers Workman, Bell & Green, Heiuche, D. Garcia.

The first brick.s were made by Capt. Jesse D. Hunter in 1S,12. ITc;
burnt his ne.xt kiln in 185:J. From" the first kiln vfus built the house at the
corner of Third and ]Main streets in 185o; from the second, in the same year,
the new brick jail. In 1854 was built the Guadalupe Ross house, now of
Samuel Meyer; in 1855 the dwelling and store of J. G. Nichols, on Main street
near the Court House. Joseph MuUaly and Samuel Ayres, coming here
March 1, 1854, embarked in brick-making the next month. In August, Da-
vid Porter arrived. The firm tlien was, Mullaly, Porter & Ayers. In 1855,
.lacob Wexel went to work tor this firm on the Eagle Mills of Stearns &
Scott, and the new brick dwelling of John Roland at La Puente. Their
"great year" was 1858, when they sold 2,000,000 of brick for the proposed
improvements of 1859. Besides the brick flouring mill of Stearns & Scott,
were finished houses at various points for Foster & Wadhams, J. Morris,
John Goller, Lorenzo Lecke, Juan Ramirez. From 1855 to 1859 there is a
hiatus which cannot be better tilled up than with the "Garden of Paradise,"'
at the Rouad House, begun in 1856 by George Lehman, and which was a
wonder to all by its mystic Adam and Eve, witli the profusion of flowers and
ingeniousdispositionof parterre and tree. In 1850 John Temple built and
September 30, delivered to the city the market house, with its town clock
and bell so "fine-toned and sonorous," at a cost of .$40,000. He also con-
structed the south end of Temple Block. October 22, Don Abel rejoiced in
the finishing touch to his prided undertaking, the Aj'cadia- Block, bearing
(lie name of his wife. Dona Arcadia Biuidini;like the good ship Arcadia,
('apt. Noyes, of Mr. Stearns and Alfred Robinson, that brought the second
invoice of goods directly from Boston to San Pedro (the first, we are remiud-
td, having'been by the barque Eureka, Capt. Noyes, in the Fall of 1852, to
Alexander & Melius). In the same montii, Corbett and Baker remo\ed into
the north-east corner store of the block, and it was soon filled. Then, too,
ihe dining liall, just fiuLshed, of the Bella Union, was reported "one of the
finest in California." The Mascarcl building, now Polaski & Goodwin's,
followed in 18()1. The prevailing spirit awhile embraced the plaza within
its range. It proved to advantage to all who heeded it, although good Wil-
liam Wolfskin had forebodings, in December, 1800, on the return from the
burial of Henry Melius— "What a pity!" he said; "if Temple had not built
so much he might now be a rich man !" Mr. W. and Mr. T. died each prob-
ably worth a half a million. And at last Mr. W. himself ran with the tide
and spent |20,000 to build the Lazard stoi'e, Main street, in 1860. It was
completed by his executors.

So had some advancement been made, and public pride was animated.
Twenty years before, one who deserves to be regarded as a Progressivcist,
Regidor Don Leonardo Cota, 1845, Ai)ril 19, had prayed the Aj'uutamiento to
petition the Governor for an order upon all the inhabitants "to plaster and
whitewash the fronts of their houses." Satisfied if he could succeed in this,
he said, "to have co-operated somewhat toward the glory of my country. The
t ime had arrived," he thought, "for Los Angeles to figure in the political workl,
and although still a small city, to show its magnificence, so that the traveler
coming to visit us might be able to say, 'I have seen the city of Los Angeles;
I have seen its order and govcrnmeut, and all announce that it is to be the
Paradise of Mexico ;' but not so with the melancholy aspect of most of its

64 LOS ANGELES COUNTY

buildings, dark and gloomy, and more like burial mounts of the ancient no-
mads than habitations for a free people." *

San Pedro, so noted as a port under the former regime, since 1850 has
been, until recently, the only outlet for our productions. Ox carts could not
remain long after the management of trade fell into the hands of Douglass
& Sanford, John GoUer, J. J. Tomlinson, J. M. Griffith, A. W. Timms, A.
F. Hinchman, Don Jose Rubio, David W. Alexander, Phineas Banning, all
of whom have done so much to build up our commerce. General Banning
went there a young man. In 1851 was formed the firm of Alexanders &
Banning, Commission and Forwarding Merchants. Subsequently for four
years he conducted this business alone ; marked by sagacity, foresight, and
energy. In 1858, Old San Pedro was abandoned. Wilmington then became
the real port for Los Angeles commerce. When he commenced, 500 tons
would have been a fair average for the trips both ways per month. Now,
there has been as high as 15,000 tons afloat at one time, to say nothing of the
enormous amount of produce which the same vessels carried away on their
departure. Gen. Banning has had the opportunity to see the passengers ride
from the port to Los Angeles City on Mexican ox carts, with no iron in their
construction, and has seen them at length make the trip on as fine railway
cars as there are in the United States ; and has seen them increase from fiftj'
persons per month to near three thousand. With our best recollections of
all the past, we think we may justly say, that no one of our citizens has con-
tributed more of labor with perseverance, or more of business ability than
he has done, to the accomplishment of tliis result. Gen. B. resides at Wil-
mington, in the bosom of his family. November 16th, 1854, he married
Miss Rebecca Sanford. There are eight children of this marriage. Feb-
ruary 22d, 1871, he married Miss Maiy E. Hollister. They have three
children.

Of the actors in scenes through which we have partly traveled, some are
lost to sight : Don Jose Sepulveda, Don Manuel Requena, Don Andres Pico,
Don Ignacio Alvarado, Don Augustin Machado, Louis Vignes, Isaac Wil-
liams, Andrew A. Boyle, John Roland, William Workman ; others, man;y',
whose names are dear to affection, and whose good deeds are treasured in
universal respect, A. A. Boyle died, February 9th, 1871, aged 54 years ; John
Roland, at the age of 82 years, August 13th, 1873 ; William Workman, born
with the century, died May 17th of the present year. Companions of a hun-
dred dangers arid toils, Roland and Workman sleep together, at La Puente,
in the church-yard of the little chapel, which both designed many years ago.
Don Jose Sepulveda, born November 30th, 1804, died in Mexico, April 17th,
1875 Don Andres Pico, born November 30th, 1810, died February 14th,
1876. A brother, Don Pio, and three sisters survive him— Dona Ysidora,
wife of John Foster, Dona Concepcion, widow of Don Domingo Carrillo,
Dona Maria, widow of Don Jose Joaquin Ortega. Don Pio Pico is another
centenarian — if we may so speak; he was born at San Gabriel May 5th, 1800.
Don Manuel Requena, born on the Peninsular of Yucatan, died at this cit\',
aged 74 years, June 27th, 1876. Don Andres Pico and Don Jose Sepulveda
were born at the Old Presidio of San Diego. Isaac Williams, born in
Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania, September 19, 1799, died at Chino Rancho,
September 13th, 1856 ; he came to California in the year 1832. Aged 91 years,
Louis Vignes died January 17th, 1862; at near the same age, September 25th,
1858, Don Ignacio Abila, and more recently Don Julio Verdugo. John
Goller died July 7th, 1874. Don Agustin Machado died May 17th, 1865, at
77 yeai-s of age. One of a company — the others, Felipe Talamantes, Tomas
Talamantes, and his own brother, Ignacio Machado — who in 1839 received a
grant of the Rancho of La Ballona. Don Ignacio survives those faithful
friends of his earlier days — at the age of 82 years; he grasps the hand
warmly as ever, rides on horseback as usual — patriarch to whom the com-
munity bears respect almost filial. Don Ignacio Palomares, born February
2d, 1811, died November 25, 1864, and at close to 70 years, May 6th, 1876,

■•■•■ See Historical Collection, San Francisco, of Hubert H. Bancroft, Esq., which
has full records of early history of Los Angeles and Southern California in gen-
eral, and from which we have drawn liberally the facts of the present sketch for
the period since 1817.

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. G5

his friend, Don Ignacio Alvarado — guides and liglils in liio inUIi of a trusting
jioople through all the peaceful Vatley of San Jose.

William' Wolfskin was born Marcli 20, 1798, near Iliclnuond, K}'. ; hi^i
grand-father, from Germany, and grand-mother, from Ireland ; came to Los
Angeles in 1830. Aged seventy-fiye years, he died at this city Oct. 3, 1860,
leaving four children. He planted his original vineyard in 1838. He be-
lieved tliat, well cared fov, the grape vine will last a hundred years. He had
been (Tften heard to say tliat lii^ tirsf, or;'.iige oirhard, the small one near the
old adobe dwelling, was of the sanu' age of his eldest daughter, Juana, who
was born in 1841. His vrit'c, Dona JIagdalena Lugo, of Santa Barbara, died
before him. His d;uighlrr .T nana was married November 14, 18G0, to H. D.
Bari'ows, and died January ;;i, 18G3. Her husband and one tlaugiiter reside
at this city. Alexander Bell was born in Washington county, Penn., January
9, 1801. In 1823 he went to the city of Mexico, was a merchant until 1842,
when he came, by the way of Guaimas, to San Pedro. In 1844 he married
Dona Nieves Giiirado, who survives him. He died July 24, 1871. They
Avere without children; but they were Fi/dr/aos (god-father and god-mother)
to more children than any otlier couple in California. "Thus they sustained
the pleasant relation," says Mr. H. D. Barrows, "to a large number of fathers
and mothers, so common in Spanisji, although unknown in English, of com-
'pndre and connifJre. And allhougli some of their god-children have grown
up to be n\en and women, while others are still intants, these old people al-
ways welcomed them at meeting, great or small, with as much interest and af-
fection apparently as would have been done had they lieon their own chil-
dren." It is one simple picture of "California life" as it is at Los Angeles;
where this double family tie, (as it were) serves to elevate personal inter-
course, and strengthens and beautifies all the social relations.

Twenty years of existence, wliile awakening curiosity, leave hints for
instruction. Errors we have committed. The race of fortune has been
checked suddenly, — by commercial sluiclvs, by other causes beyond human
]Knver to avert. A dry season of l^od and 1857, money depression in 1859,
drought through 1863 and 1864, and varied drawbacks by sea and land, now
bad modes of agriculture and want of skill in wine manufacture; again, dis-
« appointment in mining experiments at Kern river, San Gabriel and else-
where, and ineftectuai, although masterly eflbrts for the Salt Lake trade,
■with expensive, disheartening litigation for "the ranchos," all have retarded
the onward march. In vain, lament these failures of realization where hope
was so much excited, or renew the torments of evils wliich time has cured,
(irone, tco, with the past, are personal or political rivalries, that have lost
their interest for the public. Questions of grave import as they maj'' have
been, give way to themes nearer to our x>rcsent well-being. If there liave
been other critical years beset by solicitude and fear,of this great day are born
only glorious inspirations, rejoicing all in one common country, under one
Union — indivisi])lo, perpetual !

UJiNTENNlAL lllbTUllY. 07

CHAPTER III.

Lus AN(ii:ijLS< CoTNTV Fkom 1807 to July 4th, 187G.

"^'■^'* tellE third period, or age, in the history of Los Augeles ma}' be
said to have commenced witli the tide of immigration which

m

|(^*^ set in for Southeru California about the year 186G.

^ ?^W The first era liad been the long, slumb'rous years of the

old Missions and ranchos, when life was a thing of dreamy days and
])eaceful nights; when no sound of hurry or of toilsome labor disturbed
the quiet; when the drowsing pueblo and the sleeping hacienda only
aroused to the bustle of an occasional fiesta or rodeo ; when, instead of the
IMack smoke of the steamer, leaving its long trail over the waters, onlj- the
Avhite sails of the hide drogher, at intervals of many long months, broke the
blue stretch of the sea. This era must ever remain to the mind of the
tlreamer, the poet, the halcj-on age of California del Sur.

The second period embraces the time from the American occupation of
(California to about the year 180G. This era was also one of sharply defined
characteristics. An influx of a new race, of new men, not great in numbers
but of marked individuality, took place. The sun-tanned trappers, keen of
I 'ye and strong of limb, began to straggle in, coming from the mystery of the
vmcxplored heart of the continent, as denizens of another world who by some
mischance had dropped upon this planet. IMen wise in the strange, un-
worldly wisdom that comes not of schools nor of trade, but of lone years
lived by the rivers, among the canons, where the only voice of converse is
the voice of the night wind among the sombre pines. Other men came too —
shar]) witted men who saw gold in the broad acres of the great ranchos, even
as their contemporaries saw it in the sands of the rivers of Alta California.

Still, the great mass of population remained unchanged, and, while tlu;
new element organized business, reached out to the interior, to Arizona, to
Salt Lake, for trade, yet outside of the pueblos the slumber of the old rancho
life was hardly disturbed. The towns, however, stirred to the new si)irit and
r)cgan to cast off their lethargy. Sail vessels and then steamships began to
frc(iueut the ports. Steamer (lay usurped the place of "poco tiempo" in the
reckonings of trade. Men of business sagacity began quietly to secure large
tracts of land, and real estate in the towns, foreseeing the rapid enhancement
of values which must soon take place. The immigration wasnotalways made
up of the more i)eaceable elements of society. Men of questionable charac
ter, men of no character, drifted in. Money was plentiful, and the gamblers
found a congenial field. The revolver shared with the Courts in the settle-
ment of disputes. It is even reported that during a session of one of the
Courts, the majesty of the law failed to repress the instinctive reliance of the
American sovereign upon his weapons. Pistols were drawn, and the Judge,
after vainly commanding the peace, rushed halfway up the stairs out of harm's
way, and peeping cautiously over the railing at the angry disputants below,

Icstily called out : "Xuw shoot, udlI be d—d to you !" It was a time, too, of
jiractical joking; jokcri oftentimes sadly trying to the nerves of innocent visi-
tors from abroad. It is related 'that once upon a time, as
fr'cvcral of the leading citizens were entertaining a party of visitors,
newly arrived, in one of the saloons where the ton were wont
to resort, doing the honors of the city to the strangers, possilily
initiating them into the delightful mysteries of draw" poker — any-
how, it was said that everything was lovely and serene, when a noise at the
door attracted their attention, and their horritied gaze met the grim eyes of a.
townsman gloomily glancing ;;t them along the" sights of a "shot-gun tluit
looked like a double-barreled columbiad, while a determined voice muttered,
"I'll shoot, even if I don't kill more than half a dozen !" The visitors were
called by urgent business to San Francisco the next day, and, it is said, for-
got to return. Railroads were then a thing of the future. The writer vivid-
ly recollects standing in front of the U.S. Hotel, in 1868, one night of a
steamer's arrival, and hearing the rival stages of B;mning and Tomlinson
come up Main street, racing to get in first, horse,-; on the gallop, and in the
darkness a man on each stage l)lowing a horn to warn people in the street to
clear the track. At this time, the Fall of l^'JS, there was no three story build-
ing in the town, Miiile the only two story business houses were the old Lafay-
ette, the older portion of the Bella ITnion,with the stores of Barrows and Childs
upon Los Angeles street. Steam's Block, Bell's Block, a portion of the Lan-
I'ranco building, the older portion of the U. S. Hotel, Allen's corner.the Court
House with the part of Temple Block facing it, and a two story adobe where
Temble's Bank now stf nds. The portion of' J)ov,ney Block facing toward
the Temple Bank had a few one story adobe rooms, with a wide gateway in
the middle opening into a corral. This gateway had connected with it some-
what of a tragic history, as, upon the cross-ljar above, live desperadoes wei'c
hanged at one time by the Vigilance Committee. The Round House was
then upon the outskirts of town. Captain Clark's ho -ise vras fairly in the
country, but little of the property around Ijcing even fenced in. The hills
above town and across the river, now dotted Avtth houses, were then bleak
and bare. East Los Angeles had not yet even been dreamed of. BetAAcen
Los Angeles and Wilmiugtou, instead of the many farms that now dot the
country, were only a few ancient ranche houses, and the midway stations for
changing horses on the stage routes. Los Angeles, AVilmington, Anaheim,
El Monte and San Gabriel, might be called the only settlements. Lauds
where Compton now stands were sold at from $3 to $5 jier acre. The total
assessed valuation of property in the county' for the year 1866 was !f;3,360,88(i.
For the year 1875, nine j^ears later, it stands $14,890,765. Population of the
county for 1866 is estimated at 10,000. For 1875 it is probably 30,000. Of
this population, about 5,000 then lived in the city of Los Angeles; now it is
estimated the city has about 13,000.

In the year 1867 Los Angeles was first lighted v,itii gas. During this
year, also. Doctor Griffin ami Hon. B. D. Wilson, ])y means of a ditchrcost-
ing some $15,000, brought the water of the Arroyo Seco out ui)on tlie lands
of the San Pasqual rancho.

In the j'ear 1808 work was commenced by the "Canal and Reservoir
Co." upon the canal and reservoir which aow supply the woolen mill. This
•was the first turning of attention to the hill lands west of the city, which be-
fore were considere'tl practically valueless. This year marked an era in the
business of the Southern portion of the county, in that, for the first time,
Anaheim Landing was made a regular stopping place by steamers. This
was the year, too, in which the first successful artesian well v,as bored in the
countJ^ A fair How of water was obtained upon the mesa lands about six
miles back of Wilmington The Avell was sunk upon the lu'operty of jMessrs.
Downey and Hellman. So great a curiosity was it considered that the sta-
ges turned aside from the road to give passengers a siglit of it. One other
event, and most important of all, renders this year memorable in the history
of the industrial development of Los Angeles.' This was the carryina: of the
vote to issue county bonds for $150,000, and city bonds for $75,000, to assist
in the building of a railroad from the city of Los Angeles to San Pedro har-
bor. This was the first step la the development of the railroad system

t'ExNTEJS^^lAL llitiTOliV. Oil

which is now so rapidly opening up the resources of Southern California.
And yet this road, only 22 miles in length, was looked upon by many as a
foolish undertaking which would never pay expenses. One old resident, a
man of wealth, contemptuously declared that two trains a month would ac-
commodate all the wants of trade for years to come. Six years later the
number of cars arriving daily at the Los Angeles depot with freight from
Wilmington averaged, for weeks at a time, from fifty to sixty. This year set-
tlers began to come in rapidly upon the lands about Compton, the town re-
ceiving its name from one of the fir.st and most prominent of the new comers.
The lands thrown upon the market by Governor Downey at Los Nietos were
also quickly settled by an industrious farming population. In July of this
year the "Los Angeles City Water Company," represented by Dr "John S.
Griffin, Mr. P. Eeaudrj^ and Mr. S. Lazard, received a franchise for supply-
ing the city with water for domestic purposes for a period of thirtj' years,
and, by agreement, and purchase of existing works, became possessed of a
sole right. Previous to 1863 the city was poorly supplied, carts hauling
water from the zanjas and from the river, and distributing it to the houses.
In that yenr Jean L. Sansevaine, under franchise from the city, laid down
wooden pipes in a few of the streets, which, however, soon became rotten
and worthless. Since the introduction of pure water into the city, dysentery,
which had been exceedingly i^revalent, has become a rare disease. The "Los
.\jigeles City Water Co." now represents a capital of $930,000. It has in the
ground 24 miles of mains, the largest being 22 inches in diameter ; daily con-
sumption of water, 750,000 gallons; daily capacity, 1,000,000 gallons; esti-
mates that it can supply a city of 100,000 inhabitants; expects to construct
during the ensuing year another reservoir, 60 feet higher than the present one,
to supply the hill lands. During the autumn of this year there was an unu-
sual prevalence of a severe form of typho-malarial fever, many cases termi-
nating fatally In this year, 1868, the fii'st bank was organized in Los Ange-
les by Alvinza llayward and John G. Downey, under the firm name of
"Ilaj'ward & Co.," capita], $100,000. Later in the same year tlie banking
house of "Hellman, Temple & Co." was organized ; capital, $125,000. By
the reorganization and consolidation of these two houses, in Februaiy, 1871,
was established the "Farmers' and Merchants' Bank of Los Angeles," with a
capital at present ot $500,000.

The years 1869 and 1870 were years of no marked events. During the
year 1869 an epidemic of small-pox lingered for many months about the city.
The winters of 1869-70 and 1870-71 were remarkable for a very light rain-fall,
the first having less than nine and the second less than eight Inches, with
much dry northerlj'^ and westerly wind and frequent sand-storms. Despite
these draw-backs a steady development went on, though the drought pre-
vented the inauguration or prosecution of enterprises involving any heavy
expenditure of money. "The Anaheim Gazette" was established in Septem-
ber.

In the year 1871, after several careful preliminary surveys, the United
States Government commenced the work of imi)roving Wilmington harbor,
which work has ever since been going steadily on. $425,000 have so far
been appropriated for the breakwater and the clearing out of the bar. "When
work was commenced the bar had upon it only 18 inches of water at low
tide, and was only crossed by lighters which waited for tlie flood. While
this historical sketch is in press, a fleet of 15 vessels, some drawing more
than 13 feet of water, is lying within the harbor, having crossed the bar with-
out the slightest ditficulty. When the work is completed the engineers ex-
pect to give at least 17 feet of water upon the bar at low" tide, and
probably more. To the indefatigable exertions of Gen. P. Banning of Wil-
mington is due, more than to ti\e ettbrts of any other one man, the inaugura-
tion of this work. With its comjiletion the raili'oad system of Los Angeles
will be enabled to reach its true fullness of development. This sam<3 year,
was commenced, by Messrs. Chapman and (^lassell, tiie construction of a
system of canals for the irrigation of lands of the "Santijigo de Santa Ana"
rancho, upon the east side of the Santa Ana river. The main canal, con-
structed principally in this and the following years, is now some 15 miles
in length, and with its various ramifications furnishes water for about 15,000

:u L(_)s a:ngeles county

icusm tin ll()mi'>''uii_, ^ UUm<uK(){ ()i i ^t Tu'^mCilN mcl Smti \,in
In Jinini> ol this ^^ u llic Los ^n^clfs "^Ic dir il \. -.soci ition -u is oi^iu
1 d the hiM nitdic il so( id' e^cicst ^)lislicd m t'u count It stdl iLt iins
ilsoi^xni/ tiou md is m i Homi iiu_ condition '^n Fchu \^ ^ sj i cd
t'i( tiist nnnibti oftiic [ Oa Vn^^lc Diil^ L\Lin^ I ^1 i

]n tin -^c 1 1^73 iiipio\Lmen*s Mm (_onni(iK(d in thLlii]lsA\t ot
Jo Vn^clisd^ Trs( lull Itlio ! li ot ciin^ dcli_iittul sitt, loi il id n
(L tiomlul ol A\ 1(1 md d 111 lU \ ot n h i lotshucd m the po
]K ut'y ot the ( it\ bill h id lemiuKd i ( nip u u (1 \ mule s md uc_lected
i()thecifi^-\ and pci e\eiiie in > espcc tIU ot t\\o nie "\Ii P Be lu
dr\ and AIi" J ^\ Potl i dn the cln ^-^ th t 1 is tiken ])1 ce ^Ii
Potts lus suec lb<2 e\] ( mh d in _ ul' i^ pii eipiM upon th^ lines ot
Temple I id becond stie ii \ n 1> ot s,()0((t ""^Ii Pc i idn n m like
ininud t \pended U)-) \ 11(1 t ooot) Jli ^flk\\lnl li ""l! i lu
di} s nime his been men ( ] i ilh 1 n ved i h li i ii hin, < t i i bu m mt
supply of ■u itei to tlu so lull 1 ud Ii Be iinin h is hid (\e i\ it I i 1 n ^e

bism iniid th spiui_,s ], mj; ilon iix>i c i \linndi stic ^ luni^ nieh -^ itli
I SI s.t\ ho M^ ei (n_in( iiuuime: i ITookd puini) ot <heeln^Clt^ ot-J-'>0()()
_ ill( ns pc h( n- ( 1 *oieed to m ( li \ tion^^o 2") t(et Tslieio it is
le n(dn two itsci ou T,Mth iso i e [ il^ ot )()(> 000 giUons mu
tlienCL distill I tul I iioi h (lf\en inih oi ii m iii^) s(mi tlK tops ot 11k
hit^hest hills IhesL ^^o sh'.c e st s<l)((K> J liis ^ u a\ stonndcdtlu
'Icmple uid^toikniin J_) miv B^ ni ntn tA\dlbeii luinWud is ih(

301 m \^hieh the hi t hu cn^i (\ b ou^lu lo ' \i d — i d (lis
steimei, mide b-^ tin \-m ) I i^Co Ii Cioi k 1 1 +-1 I lu nbi 1

August 4th

Ei2,ht<' J h mdi d m ^ ( a n \ th i 1 n m i u en 11 -sNhuh

Lis An^eh -> e )nnt\ b^ Ion 1 1 (^(111 1 < d 1 iinid t > ^o on m

the ^oik ot peifeetnu 1 \ I* 1 )i i in > '' thi to > 1 1 tin A\henels(
^\]lel (nei tilt eouiitn the \ u upon 1 ii'i > u s -w is billii 1 id nide sjnc id
Jhc (ount M)*ed to t k Southt n P ei ( l' iX (o Is Ik nds in the S m
Petlio I 111 Old ind m idltiniil 11 101 it u h( 1 nt to ni 1' up diout ")()<)

000 upon the ( on litions th tl I 1 n an ti nk iuk ol "s p ji l\ on its a i\
t) connect with n^ soutlduti ns ( munent 1 ^nc should]) tliiou_h Hh
Lis Angeles A die \ tint the Coniii m should AMthin euhtL( ini(n*hshi\e
constiucteel hfly m le 01 ili ) d A\iih 1 ih i mil id \it!ii t\\(>\eiis
theieiftei <^houkl ilsoconiKii f > Vn 1 1 Vn 1 11 1 iil 1 1 i ih it i
eonncctui" line tin iiicl 1 1 "- 11 1 1 n 1 i Ik nl 1 1 1 1 1 l ( 1 \ i(h n diue
^ 1- The eit^ ot I < Vn, les 1 u \oU 1 h 1 ut t ^ in the m P d o

1 III imountm o i > (>( ) upon eoi lition tn u the 1 1 im *iuiik line hould
pi thi(ni_,h the i M id \\ithin ted ni sp( ( ititd kn us Hit Soithrm
Puifit P P Co hismoie thmlept 1 illi a\ ith th( pi o^i e (i lis \n^ele
^\ )t onlj Ills it eomplcteil til 70 mile coni in})lited m M( eontiict but it
his gone on l)Uildin_ ui til Los Vudts 1 n \ th( ( n(i it isi,stcmot
mo c thm 200 1 iilcs of K id mdtltm ' i 1 i ( 11 oi 1 t
i\d> on Ihe constiudioi 01 tlitsi i)il 1 l| 1 i 'Ii n Ih a i l!n
( 1 the CO nit md isitnihin, pi ibk i 1 1 11 11 i 11 I 1 u
mc it m the ni 1 luti k I In \ uiioiinjx AMnliist t i\ h u iM i

t id oi open diUh si t k i m^ a\ 1( i 1 1 uiui _ p' 1 <

n^t ( o\ ' ( 1 1 1 ui K n ( 1 1( d t e In li n Lolou hi i 1^ j ui

( 1 1^1 d 1 ]> nil 1 ( 1 d ( ^ 1 1 P < U1I 1 h 1)111 (I liie a\ ite o 1 1 ) tiu 11 ii

(1 01 indtliiiei I \ di I i )ii<m ]i peso m 1 nnls Pi i) t 1 s tinit

ho\,e\ci 1^1 1 II 11 1 I ii 11 1 h 1 di (1 11 dd

se lie at his oi( huds th i ' ii 1(1

noi Downey , it 1 lu j 11 1 \ 1 1 -w

Pist los Au^de nd 1 t 1 1 ' i x 1 t 11 i , 1 m

nui the lu^h school nn nu i i i in i ' 1 l iiiidi 11 (

etheii nt'supe MsK n ot I 11 i 1 '-111 11 l i luh \ \\ ot

giidinoA\is idoph t 111 11 c k ol \hith > id 1 ii ( n 1 i lU itpii

tation imoi^lhi edui l on 11 iiisn 1 u 11 ol th ^ ili > m I 1 iit (*

cialit m th' tiedion ot (he huu ehool liuihim I i> \ lous dcA f 1

opincnt ot tin tliool in 11 i d lotu dndilioi j K Po i i

man ol bin'uli 111 ut 1 ek t i a 1 1 m 'un

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. Tl

with tho schools iu the summer ol' liiis year. lu .J-.unidvy Ihe "Los Augch's
Public Library" opened its door ; an iii-iiiuiidii -nitnorted bj^ private mem-
bership, but to the rooms of Avhicli al I are riualc \\ LUamie. Among the influ-
ences at Avork refining, elevating, eiuiobling public sentiment in comnumity,
the ]u>\v('r (if this lilirary has ]U)l been least, tjiough its Avork has ever been
(|uictaH(l nnolitnisive. " From its first o])ening to the present it has remained
ill cliar-e ()t IVlr.J.C.Litncticld as Lilirarian. In April was (jr-auizedtlie oldest
lire r(iiiipai]y :iu\v exislin- in Los Ai;geles, tlic -'Tliiriy-lMglils, Fire Co. No.
i ;" so callcil from I he nuiviher of chartered mend)ers. In llie su;umer
was laid the corner sie.ne_()f the Synagogue B'nai-Brith, l)y Ilie llelnx'vv Soci-
ety, under tiie pa.sioiaie of Rabbi A. W. Edelman. In the autumn was 1)uilt,
l)y Bai'uard Eros., llie hrst woolen mill. In August the "Los Angeles Cham-
ber of Commerce" was incorporated ; an organization which has done, and
is yet doing, a valuable work in the industrial and eomme.icial development
of Los Angeles Countj-. October 2d was issued tlie first numl)er of tlie "Daily
llei'ald." In thtf previous January i)id)lication was commenced of tlie
"Weekly Mirror."

Among events of tlie year 1ST4 may he mentioned tlie following: Don
Jjeuito D. Wilson and ]\rr. . I. I)e Barlh Shorh commenced ]dping water out
to several large reservoirs, which they luul coii>lructcd upon the plains near
tlie ]\Iission San Gabriel, thus supplying water for the "Alliambra" tract,
whicli, from i^,-^ elioicc location, is rapidly heconiing flie home of wealthy and
refined families. Hon. Chas. Maclay purchased the San Fernando rancho,
and founded the town of the same name. The first fruit-diying factory was
built in Los Angeles by :Ar. G. V>. Davis, l^rospectiaig and l)oring for petro-
leum Avas commencctl in the mountains afiout San Fernando. The First,
Presbjderiau Church Avas organized in Los Angeles city under the pastorate
of Dr. A. F.White. "Trinity" jVI. E. Church South Avas erected under tlie
pastorate of Rev. A. M. Campbell. In the Summer of this year was built,
mainly through the personal elibrts of Judge il. M. Widney, President of thi'
(Company, the first street railroad in Los xingeles, the "Spring and Sixth St.,'"
some t\A'o and one-naif niiks in length. Since tlien have been built the Main,
street road, the East Los Angeles road, the San Pedro street road, Avork has
been commenced upon the illiso street road, and a road has lieen char-
tered upon Spring street. The "Los Angeles Savings ]]ank" Avas opened this
year, capital $300,000 ; and the "Confidence Fire Co. No. 2" organized Avith
another steamer, of the Amoskcag 2d class pattern. July 2.1th Uu_' first num-
ber of the "Sued Californische Pf)sf" a]ipeared. It is a notewortliy fact in the
history of the year that Los An.u-eles was, so f.ir as known, the only city in
tlie State, exc(.'i)t one, in v.iiieli a full com[tli;uiee with tho requirements of
the "Sunday Law," passed li_y the i)n'eediug Legislature, Avas cntbrccd. P>us-
iness houses we]'e closed, a!u"l from that time tlu' Safibath Juis been kept I'v
tlie eouinuniity as a day of rest.

In flLc Spring of IST,-) llie "Forest Grove Association" i)lanted the lirM
extensive tract of the Eucalyptus or blue gum, for timber. ^Vitl^ this year
was commenced the construction of another railroad. Senator Jolm P.
Jones, selecting Santa IMonica roadstead as the ocean terminus, and running
a substantial wharf out half a mile to deep Avater, built at a total outlay (Tf
some f ;]7."),000, a railroad to Los Angeles city. This section is iutendeil as
only the first portion of a road to be extended on through the Cajon Pass to
Independence, and ultimately to b(^ connected Avitii the "Union Pacilic. Witii
the building of tliis road has groAvn up a prosperous sea-side town at Santa
JMonica, much frequented as a watering jilace. During the Summer the Po-
mona and Artesia Com])anies placed upon tlu; market several large tracts of
land, subdivided into small farms. In the Southern part of the "county the
canals about Anaheim, and u.pon the Avest side of the Santa Ana, Avere rapitl-
ly extended for the irrigation of a number of thou.sands of acres of land be-
fore uneultiA'ated. Anaheim, Westminster, Richland, Los Nietos, El ]\Ionte,
Compton, Florence, and numerous other sctllcments over the county, were
all the Avhile rapidly increasing in Avealth and population. NeAvport, soutii
of the Santa Ana river, liegan to build up a. direct trade with San FrancLsco,
a steam scliooner, owned'by McFadden Bros., making regular trips. In
March Avas first i>ub1ished the "Lo.s Nietos Valley Courier;" iu April, "ICi

72 LOS AXGELES COUXTY

Monlc Observer;"' in September, tlie"Sant;i i\Ionica Outlook." Theliuaiicial
crash which swept over the State duriug tliis year did not spare Los Angeles.
Tlie three banks closed their doors for a short time. Two re-opcned"with
strength unimpaired ; the third, after struggling for a while, finally suc-
cumbed and made an assignment. Lender the pastorate of Rev. J. M. Camp-
bell, the new edifice of the "Fort street M. E. Church" was erected, but dedi-
cated in the autumn, in the ensuing Conference year, during the pastorate of
the Rev. G. S. Hickey. The Cathedral of "Sancta Vibiana" was reared by
the Rt. Rev. Thadeus Amat, but not opened to public service until the Spring
of 1876. The steady development of an enlightened public sentiment is
sho\\Ti by the general approbation expressed at the strong stand taken by
His Honor, P. Beaudry, Mayor of the city of Los Angeles, in his message
upon the questions of a liberal support of the public school system, the im-
portance of a well sustained department of public health, and the duty ot the
city in checking the vice of intemperance by restrictions upon the sale of
intoxicating liquors.

The year 1876, the Centennial of Amci'icaii Independence, and the 105th
since the first Mission was founded in. the county, at San Gabriel, has so far
been marked by no striking events. The "Commercial Bank of Los Ange-
les" opened its doors in January. The 10th of the same mouth, publication
of the "Evening Republican" was commenced. A plenteous and well dis-
tributed rainfall has insured an abundant harvest; the area of land under
cultivation is much larger than ever before ; no blight has come upon the
broad fields; the promise has hekl good, "Seed time and harvest" have not
failed ; while the hand of God has been in our midst, and there have been
tears, and aching hearts, even as alway, yet, the shadow of no pestilence has
rested upon our homes. And all the while tlie sun has not forgotten to shine,
nor the morning to come again; and the land has had peace; and rest and
plenty have reigned within our borders. It is meet and proper, therefore, as
recommended by our Chief Magistrate, that each one should, after the man-
ner of his own faith, return thanks to the one God of us all; meet and proper
that old hatreds, old enmities, should be buried with the dead century, to be
remembered no more through all the years, and that, over the giaves of our
dead, hands should clasp with only one word, Peace!

THE FIRST CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

Oli" THE

DECUeATIOKOFINDEPENDEIiCE

BY THE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

AT THE

CITY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA,

JULY FOURTH, 1876.

|t A MEETING OF CITIZENS, oa Saturday eveniug, April

29th, 1876, Mr. James J. Ayers, Laving been chosen President,

^ y^ stated that the object of the meeting was to consider the matter

■J^*^"^ of the due celebration of the approaching Centennial Auni-
versai-y of the Independence of the United States. Messrs. Chas. E. Miles,
John il. Bricrly, and Elijah H. Workman were appointed a committee to pre-
pare and report a plan for the proper celebration of the coming event. The
meeting then adjourned for one week.

The proceedings of the adjourned meeting, which was held May Gth, and
published in the papers of the next morning, were as follows:

The largest meeting of the kind ever held in this city took place last
lught at tlie County Court room. At a quarter past eight it was called to
order by President J. J. Ayers, who stated that the meeting was an adjourned
one, and it was ready to receive the report of the committee ajipointed on
Thursday night last.

Mr. Brierly, from the Committee of Three, read a preliminary report,
which was adopted.

The following is the report :

We recommend for the celeliration a grand procession of all the citizens
of Los Angeles County.

In addition to the usual literary exercises, we favor a liistorical sketch
of Los Angeles County.

74 LOS ANGELES COUNTY

We consider the following committees should be appointed, and recom-
mend the citizens we name for the various committees :

Executive Committee — C. C. Lips, Samuel Meyer, E. H. Workman, Wm.
Ferguson, 1. A. Dunsmoor, L. Polaski, Ciias. Prager, A. J. Johnston, E. E.
Hewitt, J. U. Crawford, Los Angeles; Gen. George Stoneman, San Gabriel;
Gen. Phineas Banning, Newport; George Hinds, Esq., Wilmington; S. C.
Hough, Esq., Santa Monica; James McFadden, Esq., Santa Ana; Judge
Holloway, Los Nietos; Edward Evey, Esq., Anaheim.

Literary Committee — Hon. Y. Sepulveda, A. James,E. M. Ross, J. Graves,
H. T. Hazard, J. P. Widney, M. J. Nevvmark, Los Angeles; J. M. Guinn,
Anaheim ; T. A. Saxon, La Ballona.

Finance Committee — Jolm Milner, C. W. Gould, M. Kremer, Charles R.
Johns«n, W. J. Brodrick, Horace Burdick, M. Teed.

Fireworks and Decorations Committee— C. E. Miles, Constant Meyer, T
E. llowan, Peter Thompson, C. E. Huber, F. B. Fanning, C. E. Judd, Mr.
Koster.

Collection Committee— Jos. Coblentz, John Kuhrts, Joseph Huber, John
J. Carrillo, G. E. Gard, Aaron Smith, A. H. Deuker, J.S. Tam, Louis Wolf-
skill, Geo. Furman.

Commissary Committee — Gabriel Allen, A. C. Chauvin, J. H. Seymour,
Los Angeles; O. H. Burke, Los Nietos; J. Cohen, Anaheim ; Geo. Carson,
Compton; B. S. Eaton, San Gabriel; W. W. Rubotom, Spadra.
Respectfully submitted,

CHARLES E. MILES,
JOHN R. BRIERLY,
E. H. WORKMAN.

Mr. J. J. Ayers was then elected Permanent President, and Mr. B. C.
Truman was selected as Permanent Secretary.

Mr. Miles, from the Committee of Three, asked for further time to elab-
orate and perfect their report, which was granted, provided that it was com-
pleted by the next meeting.

Mr."^Hubbel thought it would be a good thing to send circulars to the
prominent men in the county, and he made a motion to that effect.

Mr. Hubbell's resolution was adopted.

A motion then prevailed tliat posters should be put up throughout the
county requesting the people to elect delegates on Saturday, the 13th instant,
who should meet the Los Angeies people at the Court House on the Saturday
following, the 20th instant, at 11 o'clock a. m.

The Executive Committee was directed to have the posters and circular
letters printed and sent according to the resolution.

rhe meeting then adjourned.

The Literary Committee met in the evening of May 12th, at the cham-
bers of Judge Sepulveda, and made the following appointments: General
jPhineas Banning, President of the Day; Col. James G. Eastman, Orator of
the Da^'; J. J. Avers, Poet; Messrs. J. J. Warner, Judge Benj. Hayes, and
J. P. Widney were ai>|)oiuted a committee to prepare a historical sketch of
the County of Los Angeles, to be furnislied the respective papers (and not to
be read) oia the morning of the Fourtli of July; Thomas A. Saxon, Reader
of the Declaration of Independence, and the Revs; Mr. Edelman and Packard
Chaplains.

Meeting on EVIay 20th.

The Centennials met May 20th at the County Court House,Mr.J.J.Ayers,
President, in the cliair, B. C. Truman Secretary, and a large number of gen-
tlemen present.

The object of the meeting was to receive the reports of the Committees
for the purpose of ralificatibnor rejection, and to meet the delegates from the
outside districts.

On motion, Mr. Timms, of Old San Pedro, was added to the Executive
Committee ; also Messrs. Quinn and Tipton, of El Monte.

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 75

The following report of the Executive Committee was unanimously
adopted :

Los Angeles, May 13th, 1876.

Gentlemen.— We submit the following report of our proceedings this
day:

For Grand Marshal— Major H. M. Mitchell.

Committee on Invitation — E. E. Hewitt, A. J. Johnson and C. C. Lips.

Committee on Music— C. C. Lips, E. Workman and R. Dillon.

The Literary Committee presented the following report to the Executive
Committee, which that Committee read to the meeting:

Los Angeles, May 13th, 1876.
To the Executive Committee for the coming Centennial Celebration:

Gentlemen.— At 8 o'clock p. m., Friday, May 12th, 1876, the Committee
on Literary Exercises met pursuant to the call of the Chairman.

Present^Hon, Y. Sepulveda, Alfred James, E. M. Ross, J. A. Graves,
H. T. Hazard, J. P. Widney, M. J. Newmark and Thos. A. Saxon.

T. A. Saxon was elected as Secretary, and the following gentlemen were
elected as literary officers of the day :

President — Gen. P. Banning.

Orator — Hon. Jas. G. Eastman.

Poet— J. J. Ayers.

Historians— Col J. J. Warner, Judge Benj. Hayes, and Dr. J. P. Widney.

The duties of the historians are to furnish a condensed history of Los
Ajigeles city and county for the press on the day of celebration.

Chaplains— Opening prayer. Rev. T. T. Packard ; benediction, Rev. A.
W. Edelman. Thos. A. Saxon, Secretary.

By order of the Literary Committee.

Centennial Order.

Grand Marshal's Office, Los Angeles, Cal., June 29th 1876.

The procession, with which the Fourth of July, 1876, will be celebrated
in this city will be composed of four divisions, and will be formed at 9:30 a.
M. on that day in the following order :

The First Division will form with its right on Fort street, at the intersec-
tion of Fifth.

The Second Division on Fort street at the intersection of Fourth.

The Third Division on Fort street at the intersection of Third.

The Fourth Division on Fort street at the intersection of Second.

The intersecting streets will be used for assembly, and Marshals of Di-
visions, with their aids, will be on duty at the points above indicated on the
morning of the Fourth at 9 o'clock, and until 9 :30, for the purpose of receiv-
ing the participants in the procession assigned in their respective Divisions.
The procession will start promptly at 10 o'clock a. m., and will take the fol-
lowing route through the city :

From Fort street down Fifth to Spring ; up Spring to Main ; Main to
Commercial; down Commercial to Los Angeles; on Los Angeles to Aliso;
down Aliso to the Aliso Mills, where the procession will countermarch and
be reviewed by the Grand Marshal ; thence up Aliso street to Los Angeles ;
across Los Angeles and through Arcadia to Main; up Main to and around
the Plaza, and returning down Main street to the Round House Gardens, at
which place the literary exercises of the day's celebration will be held. At
the conclusion of the exercises the procession will not be reformed, each par-
ticipant being left at liberty to return to hall or home by any route prefeiTed.
The following named Marshals of Divisions have been appointed, each to ap-
point six aids to serve on his staff:

Marshal of the First Division— John F. Godfrey.

Marshal of the Second Division — Otto Von Ploennies.

Marshal of the Third Division— Eugene Meyer.

Marshal of the Fourth Division — Francisco Guirado.

76 LOS ANGELES COUNTS

The insignia to be worn by Marshals and aids are : Grand Marshal, red
sash, star ou left breast, black feather in hat, and baton. Aids, red, white and
blue sash and black feather.

Marshals of Division : Blue sash, tri-color rosette on left breast, black
leather and baton. Aids, red, white and blue sash and black feather.

Positions in the procession will be assigned on Saturday the 30th inst.

H. M. MITCHELL,
Grand Marshal.

The Celebration of the Centennial.

From the newspapers of the day following the celebration, the report
of the proceedings has been compiled. The pati'iotism of the people of Los
Angeles found a most fitting expression in the ceremonies. Preparations for
the celebration of the Centennial anniversary of the Declaration of Ameri-
can Independence had been going on for some time, but it was not until the
long line of the procession was formed that our citizens knew how complete
Ihey had been, or how perfectly success had characterized the efforts of the
various committees. The public spirit of the citizens was made manifest by
ihe beauty of tlie

PRIVATE DECORATIO^'S

Of stores, hotels and residences. To enumerate all the buildings which
attracted attention by the profuse and tasty display of bunting, would be to
give a catalogue of two-thirds of the houses in town. From one end of Main
street to the other the display was very noticeable.

The Pico House led the van in the extent and elegance of adornment.
In front of the building the proprietors had erected a column about feet high,
surmounted by a flag-staff bearing a liberty cap. On the four sides of the
column were the following legends : " 1776. 1876. Now for 1976." " To the
patrons of the Pico House, may you live 100 years." " No North, no South,
no East, no West. A Fourth of July for all." "-Independence Day. A
welcome to all our guests." The entire front of the building was most
gracefully festooned with wreaths of evergreens and long lines of miniature
flags of the Union and of all nations. Directly opposite the Pico, the Ori-
ental buildings were noticeable for their fine display, as were also the
Fashion Stables.

Col. Wood's Opera House, attracted much attention by the tasty arrange-
ments which its enterprising proprietors had made to show their full sympa-
ihy with the occasion.

Abbott's Theatre did the honors without stiat, and displayed an unusual
.iniount of bunting.

The Grand Central Hotel, by the unique and exceedingly attractive man-
ner m which Messrs. Goss & Stackpole had arranged their contribution to
the beautiful picture which the city presented, showed conclusively that
Ihey knew som'ething else besides "how to keep a hotel." Thousands of
flags streamed and fluttered on the front of the building, while from the roof
of the building to the ground depended a number oif ropes wrapped with
the national colors, which had the appearance of storm stays and made the
whole edifice look like a splendid ship crowding the waters under a press of
parti-colored canvass.

Messrs. Salari & Whitney, of the St. Charles Hotel, spared neither pains
nor expense in decorating their popular hostel rie. Starry banners waved
profuse all over the building, and were arranged in squares and triangles,
and other fanciful form, with such exceeding good taste that one could wish
the handsome picture could remain a permanent institution.

The decorations of the Lafayette were confined principally to the bal-
<'ony. A life-size portrait of Washington was encircled by flags and ever-
greens, and these were supplemented by other ai3pliancc3 of the decorative
art in such a way as to produce a very pleasing effect.

TheFarmers and Merchants' Bank did due honors to the occasion.

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. TT

The City of Paris Dry Goods Store was noticeable for its tasty decorations.

Pete Thompson's retreat was fronted by a' patriotic arcli and evergreen
embellishments.

The Fashion Saloon was embowered in a perfect wealth of evergreens,
while a very pleasing effect was produced by innumerable flags and lanterns
flashing and glowing among the verdure.

Ducommun's Block, one of the handsomest buildings in town, presented
a very fine appearance.

The County Bank paid due regard to the anniversary.

The Commercial Bank building, especially the upper part of it in which
are the oflices of Goodall, Nelson & Perkins' line of steamships, Mr. C. Mc-
Clellan, agent, presented a very attractive exterior.

Lanfranco Block was hanclsomely decorated, as were the stores and offi-
ces in the building.

Satter «& Bayer exhibited admirable tact in their decorations, and the
frontage to Congress Hall was picturesque with evergreens.

The United States Hotel, under the liberal hand of Messrs. Hammel and
Denker, seemed transformed for the nonce into a suburban picnic ground.
Two or three hundred forest trees, more or less, had been levied upon, by
way of contribution, and tliese, adorned with flags and streamers, made up a
cool, refreshing picture, which was by no means the least noticeable part of
the general display.

The handsome residence and beautiful grounds of Mr. Morenhaut, the
French Counsel, presented a delightful picture. Thetri-color of France and
.stars and stripes of America were placed in harmonious juxtaposition, and
over the door of the residence was the pleasant legend, "Friends since one
liundred j'cars."

On Spring street there were many notable displays. All the stores on
Temple Block were gay with bunting, and the west front of the Court House
was decorated with taste. From Court street to First the buildings were
more or less handsomely trimmed, and the Mayor's ofllce was a special
point of admiration. On the opposite side of the street. Severance & Butler
led ott" with a fine display of flags tastefully arranged; and the Star and Her-
ald offices were gaudy with national colors. Post-Office Block, from balcony
to sidewalk, was lavishly decorated, and from thence down to First there was
no lack of tastefully arranged bunting for the eye to rest upon. Below First
street, on both sides of Spring, a great number of private houses were gaj-
with decorations, and so with thehouscs on Fort street and the intersecting
thoroughfares.

Native and foreign born citizens vied with each other to make the day
remarkable, and the rising generation of Los Angeles received a lesson in
love of country which will last them through their lives. The observance
ef the day among business houses was not confined to Main street. Messrs.
Mendel Meyer, Laventhal, M. AV. Childs, Barrows, Furry & Co., S. C.
Foj^ the L. A. Social Club, Newmark & Co., Foster, Howard & Co., the Nor-
tons, the National Guard Armory, Lips, Craigue &;Co.,IIellnian, Haas & Co.,
the White House, Page, Gravel & Co., and many others did their share to-
wards keeping up appearances.

The Southern Pacific Railroad Company and its agents and employees
did the honors of the day very completely. The depot was handsomely deco-
rated and the trains were rigged out in a holiday suit. The Wilmington
train came thundering in with three or four hundred passengers, and the pas-
senger cars and engine most beautifully adorned with flags^and garlands of
flowers. The engine of the Anaheim train was a marvel of decorative art
and looked a perfect beauty. The Colton train joined in the general spirit of
the day.

The.L. A. & I. road was not behind in its observances. The depot was
, in gala attire, and the trains handsomely decked with patriotic colors.

PUBLIC DECORATIONS AND I'UOCESSION.

The prominent feature is the noble triple arch which spans Main street.
The main span is thirty feet wide and tJiirty feet high; the side spans are

78 LOS ANGELES COUNTY

each seventeen fc t wide and twenty feet high. The centre and side col-
umns are four feet square and each about eight feet higher than the centre
of the arclies. Over the keystone of the centre arch is a fine statue of Colam-
bia; on the two main columns respectivly are the statues of Washington, the
first President, and Grant, the present occupant of that exalted position. On
the eastern column is a figure of one of "the boys in blue ;" on the Western,
the statue of one of "the old Continentals." Over the centre of each of the
side arches is a fine figure of the American eagle. Under the statue of Co-
lumbia, on each side is the California coat of arms, and on each side of the
arches are the legends, "1776. One hundred years ago. 1876." Flags and
shields, the latter inscribed with the names of the States and of revolutionary
heroes, are disposed in well ordered series on the columns, and these are in
turn handsomely entwined with evergreen garlands. The arch was the sub-
ject of universal compliments. In addition to the above, Messrs. Lehman &
Co. stretched a large number of lines adorned with wreaths, flags and stream-
ers across the principal streets.

The 38's Engine Company No. 1 set themselves to work regardless of
expense, to make the whereabouts of their place of business known. They
erected a splendid triple arch in front of their house on Spring street, on the
keystone of the frame of which is a figure of a fireman in full dress with
trumpet in hand. Underneath is a life size portrait of Washington surround-
ed with a wreath of laurel. The legends, "The Centennial" and "Thirty-
Eight Fire Company," and any number of flags and shields bearing familiar
historical names adorn this fine structure, which is a noble tribute to the
public spirit of the boys of the SB's.

Confidence Engine Company No. 2 erected a fine bower of arches in
front of their building on Main ftreet, which is a gem in its way. Across
the street they stretched a line of evergreens and wreaths, from which de-
pends a splendid edition of "old glory" about forty feet long and of propor-
tionate width. Although the two companies desire that tlieir eff"orts should
be ranked among the public decorations, the entire expense has been borne
by them individually.

The Procession.

There were crowds ot people coming into the city by car and carriage,
buggy and wagon. They were coming on horseback and a-foot, and they
continued to come. There were representatives by the score from all parts
of the county : Tustin City, Richland, Anaheim.Wilmington, Santa Monica,
San Fernando, Spadra — from all the four quarters of the compass, they came'
and saw, rejoiced with us, hurrahed with us, were made welcome with us,
and we trust and believe went home well pleased with us. The streets were
crowded at an early hour. Every window along the line of march was
crowded, every balcony had its throng of eager lookers on. There never
was svich a crowd in the city before. With one or two exceptions everybody
was pn good behavior. At an early hour the constituent part of the differ-
ent divisions were seen hurrying to their places of rendezvous, and at the ap-
pointed hour the long line was set in motion and the march commenced.
The head of the column reached the corner of Temple street, and it was over
thirty minutes in passing that point. The column was led by Major H. M.
Mitchell, Grand Marshal, assisted by his aids Capt. H. M. Smith, of Glassell,
Chapman & Smiths; Major E. M. Ross ; J. A. Graves, Esq., of Brunson,,
Eastman & Graves ; and J. H. Howard, Esq., of San Gabriel.

Then came the Opera House Band, followed by the ofiicers of the 1st
Division, Col. John F. Godfrey, Marshal ; Messrs. M. S. Severance, A. G.
Walker, Wm. H. Stevens, and E. Germain, aids. They were followed by the
Los Angeles Guard, Capt. Bailey commanding,and the Los Angeles Rifleros,
Capt. Pantalean commanding. Next came the magnificent car appropriated
to the Goddess of Liberty, who was personated in a very queenly manner by
Miss Carrie Cohn. She was attended by Miss Lulu Lehman, representing
Peace, and Miss Ally Carpenter, representing Plenty.

}

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 79

VETERANS OF THE MEXICAN WAR.

The Veterans of the Mexican. War turned out strong, the following offi-
cers and members appearing in the procession : Gen. Geo. Stoneman, Presi-
dent; Peter Thompson, Wm. Todd.Vice-Presidents ; J. D. Dunlap, Secretary,
G. W. Whitehorn, Treasurer ; Capt. Wm. Turner, Marshal ; Thomas B.Wade,
Assistant Marshal ; Vincent Stenghter, W. B. Dunne, G. W. Whitehorn, R.
T. Johnson, Trustees; .T. V. Moore, T. J. Beebe. J. S. Griffin, H. W. Osborn,
M. Halpin, W. C. Hughes, Jas. Thompson, J. O'Sullivan, A. W. Timms, M.
Surrott, J. Knott, H. C. Millers, G. F. Wilson, J. A. Talbot, L. C. Goodwin,
D. W. Alexander, Henry Hancock, S. C. Foster, C. Chaney, T. J. Ash, W. O.
Baxter, J. R. W. Hand, E. Forbush, Job Roach, John Schumacher, J. P,
Ryan, J. B. Caywood, J. Rossmore, Geo. Smith.

Next in order came the French Benevolent Society. A very beautiful
feature of the splendid display made by our patriotic I' rench fellow citizens
■was a triumphal chariot, elegantly adorned, in which vrere seated three
young ladies. Miss Mary Lache, Miss Blanche Crowley and Miss Leonie Du-
puytren. They represented the Goddess of Liberty, the second France and
the third America. Their costumes were elegant and appropriate, and they
constituted a very charming trio.

Carriages with the President of the Day, Orator, Poet.Chaplain and invi-
ted guests followed, and then came the Marshal of the Second Division, Mr.
Otto Von Ploennies, with his staff, consisting of Messrs. Hugo Done, F.
Adam and F. Wolf hart.

The 38's followed. There were fifty men on the ropes and they looked
splendidly. The Pioneers wore handsome blue caps and hats. The uniform
of the 38's is a red shirt with blue hats. The hose carriage was covered
with a blue canopy under which reclined Master George Kuhrts in uniform,
as a representative of a hoseman. The steamer, fairly gleaming with a
wealth of floral decorations, followed, drawn by six fine horses.

The hook and ladder truck, also very tastefully decorated, presented a
very fine appearance, drawn by fifteen men in uniform.

Confidence Engine, No. 2, followed, drawn by six horses, richly compar-
isoned in red, white and blue housings. A finely decorated canopy sur-
mounted the splendidly trimmed steamer, in which Miss Emily Smith sat,
personating America. Her costume was very rich and appropriate. The
Pioneers of No. 2 wore red capes and black hats. The company uniform is
blue shirt with silver facings, and a black hat. The boys made a grand a^)-
pearance.

A triumphal car upon which Confidence Engine Company seemed to
have bestowed great pains, followed. It was covered by an ornamental can-
opy beneath which sat Miss Hattie Furman, representing Columbia, and
Miss Mamie Furman personating Uncle Sam; Henry Dockweiler, jr., an ex-
empt fireman reclining on a coil of hose. At one corner of the canopy stood
Master John Foster in the guise of "Mose," plug hat and all, at another,
Master Harry Fanning as "Young Continental," in appropriate costume, at
another. Master Willie Gard as the representative of the SB's, and at the oth-
er. Master Isadore Dockweiler as one of the Confidence boys. Mrs. Gard
and Miss Hattie Furman are entitled to credit for the excellent taste dis-
played in the adornment of this beautiful car.

Wilmington hook and ladder truck followed and made a manly feature
in the procession. The fire laddies may well be proud of their part in the
grand procession.

The Junta Patriotica de Juarez and Turner rifles followed, making a
very fine display. A number of carriages containing the Directors of Qie
Junta Patriotica and private citizens followed, and the Third Division came
in sight. This was led by Marshal Eugene Meyer and his aids, Messrs.
James B. Lankershim, Brice McLellan, Aaron Smith and M. Clemente. This
Division consisted of the following orders: Knights of Pythias, Indepen-
dent Order of Odd Fellows, Imjirovcd Order of Red Men, Ancient Order of
Hibernians, Irish Literarj'^ Society, and Irish Temperance Society. The
general eftect of this Division was excellent. The various orderts turned out

80 LOS ANGELES COUNTY

in force and presented a fine appearance. A pleasing feature oVthis Divis-
ion was a car containing thirteen yoiing Misses representing me tliirteen
original colonies.

The Fourth Division, Mr. F. Guirado and staff, now wheeled into line .
The leading feature was the car of state, containing thirty-eight young ladies
representing the States of the Union. The car was a triumph of decorative
art and was hailed with cheers all along the line. The Butchers' Association,
making a tine display, followed, and the inevitable forty-niners on their
mules attracting their full share of attention, and half a dozen representa-
tives of the noble red man of the forest, who, with their lay tigure of Capt.
Jack of the Modocs, contributed not a little to the hilarity of "the occasion.
Another handsome car containing a lad and girl in Continental times cos-
tumes, followed. It was occupied by Master i)au Richie as General George
Washington, and Miss Mary Brown as Martha Washington. Tliey attracted
their full share of attention. The long line of trades display presented itself,
preceded by a handsomely decorated wagon representing the Philadelphia
Brewerj'.

Page & Gravel followed with an immense van in which a dozen or more
artisans were plying the different branches of wagon making and black-
smithing. Page & Gravel never do anything by halves, and they made the
most of their opportunity. The van was surmounted by a handsome picture
representing Washington and other Revolutionary worthies welding the
links of the'Union chain. On each side ol the wagon was this legend : "He
who encourages home industry is a public benefactor. Mechanics — the
foundation of civilization and progress. The American mechanic — the
strength of the Union, the symbol of patriotism and the bone and sinew of
the nation."

Next the Asbestine Stone Company with specimens of their excellent
handiwork.

Then Cameron's display, comprising fish, licsli and fowl, and on the
whole, unique and amusing- '

Then a wagon with specimens of B. Aphodl's cooperage, with an im-
mense wine vat marked "A. Pelanconi, wine dealer."

Then a tine display of Halliday's standard windmills.
Next a wagon from the Grange store laden with all sorts of toothsome del-
icacies. Then a laundry wagon driven by a ladj% whose name we did not
learn. Next came a fine display by the Adams "Windmill Company. Then
a wagon from Coulter & Harper's hardware store containing a little of every
thing in the housekeeping line from a stove to a nutmeg grater. Next came
Trapp's fruit wagon with the motto, '-Home Produce;" a good idea. Then
Reinert's cooperage made a fine display with the legend, "Show us a leak in
the Union and we will tighten it." W. M. Stoddard followed with a long-
line of wagons, carryalls and buggies. Then the Los Angeles Soap Compa-
ny with specimens of their handiwork. Dotter & Bradley followed with a
very handsome canopied wagon which contained a number of elegant speci-
mens of their own manufacture of furniture. J. T. Woodward & Co., of the
Los Angeles Broom Factory, made a very fine display of broom ware, all of
which is manufactured in this city. The Centennial broom was a feature of
the display. Next the Ncav York Breweiy, then the Los Angeles Steam
Coffee Factory, and after them the Sewing Machine Companies. A long-
line of citizens on horseback .and in carriages followed, and the most mag-
nificent pageant that Los Angeles has ever v/itnessed came to an end as far as
the passing of the procession was concerned. The names of the young ladies
who assisted in the programme were :

Jennie Greenbaum, Lulu Lehman, Lulu Glassell, Rebecca Laventhal,
Emma Newbauer, Hattie Newbaur, Hannah Cohen, Bertha Hellman, Alice
Weil, Regina Prager, Lolita Dunne, Jennie Happ, ]\[ary Goode, Florita
Spiker, Matilda Johannsen, Laura Meyer, Hannah Laventhal, Lizzie Spencer,
Fannie Hannah,Austiua Mesmer,Ida Warren, EUa Warren, Emma Edwards,
Anna Alexander, Johanna Williams, Sybel Foster, Francis Alexander, Lncy
Williams, Jennie Stoddard, TherasaHeiusch,Ro\vena Scott, Aliza Anderson,
Lizzie Weiuslieank, Laura Hicks, Rose Raphael, Minnie Raphael, Fanny

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 81

Gerson, Ella Norton, Ceila Wilson, Mary Belle Scott, Mattio Cohen, Lizzie
Chick, Lizzie Truman, Ella Seckler, Ally Carpenter, Ella Eaton, Louisa
Lampke, Mary Morey, Stella Binford, Fanny Seebold, Milly Northal, Fannie
Wiubigler, Lilian Thatcher, Frances Karney, Emily McCarty, Minnie Nord-
holt, Delia O'Melveny, Monte Robarts, Julia Brair, Emily Fleishman, Lcdia
Smith, Bella Sepulveda, Nellie Smith, Nellie Bellow, Flora McPherson,
Rose Kalisher, Kate Peeland, Fannie Richard, Maggie Davis, Anna TuUey,
Emma Brain, Adela Brain, May L. Cumby, Lillie Clapp, Lulu Manor, Lelia
Walters, Martha Heinch, Johanna Roeder, Sophia Magg, Conception Valdez.
The line of march, as laid down in the Programme, having been com-
pleted, the procession broke ranks at the Round House, and the Literary
Exercises of the Day took place. Seats were prepared for about fifteen hun-
dred people and they were all occupied, and hundreds listened throughout
standing.

LITEUAIIY EXERCISES.

After Hail Columbia by the band. General P. Banning, the President of
the Day, introduced the Chaplain, Rev. Mr. Packard, who delivered a brief
but impressive and appropriate prayer.

General Banning then delivered a short address replete with patriotic
sentiments.

The hymn America was then sung by gentlemen from the different
church choirs of the city.

Professor Thomas A. Saxon then read the Declaration of Independence,
the performance of which is a somewhat ungracious task. His fine elocu-
tionarjr Ijowers were brought out.

The choir then sang Red, White and Blue,

The Poet of the Day, Mr. James J. Ayers, was then introduced to the
audience, and he delivered the following

Centennial Poem.

Awake, my Muse ! send forth thy latent fire, ,

To sing a i)a3an to our country's name —
Let lofty thoughts thy swelling notes inspire.

And flowing verse exalt her matchless fame.

Time, in his ceaseless march, has ushered in

The year Centennial of our Nation's life ;
And here, with bounding hopes, we now begin

To grapple with the new-born cycle's strife.

The record of an hundred years is made ;

And, though with faults and errors it may teem,
Before its dazzling glories they will fade,

As clouds disperse before Aurora's beam.

But, if the c.ycle past be fraught with blame,

A mirror let it serve the cycle new,
And all the errors circled in its frame

Monitions stand of evils to eschew.

E'en as where wrecks on sunken rocks arc cast.

Show watchful pilots courses safe to trace,
So we, by holding still in view the past.

By Public Good uuxy Public 111 replace.

One hundred years, summed in a nation's life.

Form but the childhood term— the tender age-
When with disease and heedless error rife,
The GoMiNo MjVN gropes through his infant stage.

Passed are all these ; in manhood's stalwart pride.

We sally forth with Destiny to cope.
And, daring, threatening winds and adverse tide,

Launch on the world a new career of hope.

82 LOS ANGELES COUNTS

That hope is Freedom's here, and everywhere

On this broad earth, where man, down trod,
Sends up to Heaven a supplicating prayer

To shield him from the Tyrant's ruthless rod.
To us, entrusted by Almighty hand,

The Ark of Freedom, which our fathers bore
In safety from the dread Oppressor's land.

And planted on Columbia's Western shore-
To us is given the charge to guard it well ;

And if from Public Vice the danger come.
Insidious though it be, and, growing, swell

With giant power, as erst in olden Rome,
Yet we will grapple with the monster's might —

Place Virtue on our shields, and, with the spear
Of Truth, firm set m place, bend to -the fight.

And crush it under hoof, 'mid high career.

Freedom is ours in trust— oh, priceless trust! —
To guard with hearts that beat the Godward side —

With souls that feel the impulse of the Just,
And, rising, swell to Honor's manly pride !

In every votary's breast she rears a shrine.
Where Inward glows her quenchless vestal flame,

Enthroned she dwells in every patriot mind,
And blazons forth from fields of deathless fame.

Out from thy pregnant womb, oh. Time ! bring forth

Men equal to our country's future needs.
With faces skyward, hearts of purest worth.

And iron nerves strung to the bravest deeds.

With these, we'll bid defiance to the woes
That Fate may launch against our hallowed land —

Unyielding breasts will brave our open foes.
And Honor's foot on prostrate Baseness stand.

The band then played Yankee Doodle, after which Hon. James G. East-
man, the Orator of the Day, was introduced.

The Oration.

Mr. President and Fellow Citizens : —

As the sceptre was passing from the hands of the great Aztec monarch,
it was given him to see the future of this continent. The light of heaven's
prophecy shone upon him, and, melting the shackles of superstition, enabled
liim, through the vista of years, to see such a government as ours. He said :
"The long, long cycles pass away ; an age of battles intervenes, and, lo ! there
is a government whose motto is, 'Freedom and God !' Those words are dark
to my understanding, but pass them down from generation to generation as
a sacred tradition ; for some time, with this motto, the people of this conti-
nent will take their place among the deathless nations of the earth."

We are to-day celebrating the one-hundredth anniversary of the realiza-
ion of Montezuma's prophecy. I congratulate you upon its advent ; the aus-
picious omens which greeted its coming and welcome its presence.

It is well, in such an age of secular toil and struggle, that each year
should bring one day when the din of the marts is hushed ; when the jostle
and strife of commerce cease; when the anvil is silent and the workshop
dumb ; when the money changers desert the temple and tne miser's ears lis-
ten to a music sweeter than the music of his worshipped gold ; when secta-
rian strife and partisan bickerings retire shame-faced before the presence of
that broader patriotism, that feeling of universal brotherhood, which fills
every American heart and mind with the thoughts of our countrj^ It is well

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 8S

that there comes one day when the student and the laborer, the banker and
the pauper, losing sight of all distinctions of fortune and chance, caB meet
on common ground and, in the full enjoyment of a common sovereignty,
walk hand in hand — proud, exultant, thoughtful, admiring — through these
galleries of civil greatness; when we may own together the spell of one hour
of our history upon us all ; when we may rise into the sphere of a higher life
in the contemplation of a government founded upon equality, anchored in
the patriotism of all its citizens, aiming at the greatast good for all, and in
grateful homage bow before the throne Divine, and mingle forty million
voices in one common prayer that Columbia may remain the favored child
of Heaven, and that peace be within her gates and joy within her palaces
forever.

While, since the earliest governmental organization, all nations have
had their festal hours and days of rejoicing; yet, sir, it seems to me, no peo-
ple in the commemoration of an event were ever surrounded by circum-
stances of such a universal character to contribute to their just and proper
exultation as the American people this day. It is the world's jubilee t
Wherever civilization has written the record of its advancement, wherever
love of freedom has warmed a human heart, the dawning of this sacred an-
niversary is greeted with feelings of universal joy and gratitude. ^

In every port and in every civilized city; beneath the shadow of St. Pe-
ter's and the Brahmin temple ; over the sepulchres at Athens, and the palace
at Yeddo, to-day the sacred emblem of our nationality, that ensign of free-
dom, that type of human progress, that glorious tri-colored banner,

"Whose crimson by courage was pictured.

Whose white is from purity true,
O'er which love spread a halo of beauty
In a star-lighted heaven of blue,"
Waves in triumphant grandeur, the joy, the pride, the protection of the civil-
ized world.

Within the sound of the old bell, beneath the shadow of the old hall
where one hundred years ago a nation was born, are assembled to-day repre-
sentatives from all the world to behold oar offeringi? to its history. And
what do we give one hundred years of intellectual freedom ; a century of
equal rights ?

And, sir, when I contemplate the grandeur of this anniversa^ — that each
returning year for a century it has been the occasion for the efforts of our
most learned, wise and eloquent ; that the theme itself is nothing less than
universal liberty ; that the principles giving value to the event we commemo-
rate gave new life to the world, a new impetus to human progress ; and that
the rejoicing over their general recognition has swelled into a mighty chorus,
chanted In every clime — I feel a delicacy in attempting to say aught which
shall be appropriate. I feel the spell of an unbound grandeur, which comes
with the day, rides upon the sunlight, sparkles in the rippling wave, paints
its presence'in a beauteous picture on the very brow of nature, and which,,
though felt by all, by none can be described. It makes silence eloquent.

The reverberating tones of the bell which one hundred years ago to-day
proclaimed the birth of a new nation — the realization of a hope which led
the children of the Lord from Egypt — gave Thermopyla; to history, and free-
dom to mankind, shall resound through the corridors of time when the land-
marks of history shall have passed away.

When the mournful zephyrs, passing the plain where Marathon once
stood, shall find no mound to kiss; when the arch of Titus shall have been ob-
literated; the CoUosseum crumbled into antique dust; the greatness of
Athens degenerated into dim tradition; Alexander, Cifisar and Napoleon for-
gotten ; the memories of Independence Hall shall still bloom in imperisha-
ble freshness.

In the wreck of matter, two events shall stand forth in immortal youth ;
the crucifixion and the American Declaration; the birth of the doctrine of
universal love, and universal liberty.

But, sir, while the theme is so comprehensive that no human mind can
grasp its fullness, or picture its glories, there is yet a fitness and wisdom in

S-i LOS ANGELES COUNTY

<;ur meeting aud communing. AYe cannot but be benefitted by a contempla-
tion of the greatness of the inauguration of which this day commemorates,
and a thoughtful resume of the duties which devolve upon "us as citizens of a
land so signally favored. It will not prove unprofitable to us to pause, if not
once a year, at least once in a century, and thoughtfully review the track o'er
which American greatness has trod, the school in which it has been educa-
ted, the crucible in which it has been sublimated.

When we wander back in patriotic piety to that lone rock of Plymouth,
where, beneath a frowning sky, and witnessed by the wild, fierce, wintry
grandeur of the wilderness, the " germ of our government was planted,and
to-day behold that government laying its hands upon two oceans, upheld by
the strong arm of nearly fifty million people, commanding and receiving the
loyal homage of a continent, aud the profound respect of tJie universal world,
we can scarce]}'- comprehend the wonderful trasition.

And yet, sir, this great consummation is not the work of chance, nor this
great model specimen of govermental architecture the result of magic. No ;
it is born of legitimate cause. This great growth,great development, great pro-
gress, great advancement,annihilatiugwilderne.sses,spanning rivers, girding a
continent with steel, is the result of fixed, immutable laws, and has been
^rouglit about by means which could not fail of such an end. And, sir, in
the contemplation of those great casual facts we may read the lesson which
this day witii its memories should inculcate ; that we ourselves have a duty
to perform in connection with this great work; and that this heritage of free-
dom, this mighty goverument of protection, this lovely land of peace and
progress, is not an inheritance entailed upon us and our posterity which may
not be defeated ; that we arc not to stand as mere, awe-stricken admirers and
enjoyers of this product of the labor of past generations, wondering how long
the splendid scene will last, and the great pi-otecting arch of liberty stand, but
realize tliat we are links in the great chain, wheels in this monster machine,
active makers of the glory of this Republic, and responsible alike to the past
and future for the manner in which we study and perform our part.

It is plainly evident to any candid reviewer of the work of our fathers
that it was their earnest aim and intention to found a government based upon
theactive participating consent of the governed. A government whose sov-
ereignty should be perpetual because its power was equally distributed among
all who enjoyed its benefits. A government in which the rights of all would
be respected and protected, because the power and remedy were placed equally
hi the hands of all. A government which would be strong because it was to
the interest of all to make it strong. A government that should be progress-
ive, in that, all being equal, it must keep pace with the progress of all. ' And
sir, there was much to impel thein to the establishment of such a system. —
They had become the hereditary victims of a mighty oppression ; they were
the descendants and representatives of those v.dio for centuries had felt and
experienced the evils of the prevailing forms of government, and the necessi-
ty of a new form and system avoiding the errors of the old. They had learn-
ed, cither by direct experience, or immediate tradition, that in the existing
forms, power was not only hereditary, but was righteousness, and that free-
dom of thought was dependent upon the accident of birth.

Throughout the ages, the "mills of God," which 'tis said grind slow but
yet exceeding small, had been grinding out this grist which culminated in a
government based upon the equal rights and equal will of the governed.^

It was the legitimate tendency of such causes to produce such effects.
The evil which had hitherto existed was tlie concentration of power in the
hands of the few. The remedy adopted was a universal distribution of pow-
er among the governed. In short, from the time of the promulgation of the
American Declaration, and the laying of the foundation of the American sys-
tem, the universal right of equality,— the innate dignity of man, and the sov-
ereignity of the people, have been recognized.

This creed, so broad and grand, planted the colonies, led them through
the desert and sea of ante-revolutionary life; rallied them all together to re-
sist the attacks of a king and minister; sharpened and pointed the bayonets
of all their battles ; strengthened their sword arms, and gave fatal aim to their

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 85

bullets; bur&t fortli from a million lips; beamed in a million eyes, sounded
out in the revolutionary eloquence of tire; awoke the thunder and gleamed
in the lightnmg of the deathless words of Otis, Henry and Adams ; survived
the excitement ot war, and the necessities of order; penetrated and tinged all
our constitutional composition and policy, and all our party organization, and
stands to-day radiant and defiant upon the summit of our greateess— the au
thoritative proclamation of freedom to humanity.

And this thought sir, is worth nothing only as it leads us to a contempla-
tion of the correlative duties which must follow, and a realization of our joint
and individual responsibility to humanity and God for the progress, the per-
petuation and the success of this greatest of human experiments. , It is to an
appreciation of that duty— its exalted sublimitj' — its o'erweening imj^ortance
— its high responsibility— that the memories which are borne upon the gold-
ed sunbeams of this anniversary should lead us— to the contemplation of this
great trust direct us. It must be evident to all who give the subject thought,
that a great portion of the American people have never arrived at a proper
estimate of the sublimity of their political eminence, of their responsibility
for the disasters which have shadowed the march of our national progress.
We are apt, in the age of excitement, of struggles for wealth, of false social
rules and systems, and of poisoned ambition, to lose sight of our own sover-
eignty and its incidents. We see those who, by nefarious practises, aided by
our own indiflerence, have reached places of oflicial eminence, wasting the
Avealth of the nation, the time belonging to their constituents, destroying the
credit of the Government, prostituting the dignity of their power to the fur-
therance of measures which are portentous of evil and pregnant with calamity.
We murmur and complain, give loud utterance to our momentary indigna-
tion, and then turn to our individual avocations as if we were impotent to
avert the evil, powerless to resist the cyclone of disaster, as if we had no re-
sponsibility in the matter. Is this a proper exercise of our boasted sover-
eignty ? Is this the discharge of a duty we owe to a government whose very
life, and our protection under it, depend upon the active, thoughtful partici-
pation of each of its citizens ? Are we thereby paying tor the great benefits we
liave received? Are we keeping faitli with the past, or maintaining our in-
tegrity with the future ? Is it not rather our duty to call those public officers
to account, and make of them such an example that none will dare repeat
the experiment? Why not arraign these mighty criminals before the bar of
public opinion, and by their utter condemnation and discomfiture stay the
progress of this mighty evil ?

I look upon it, sir, as the first duty ot an American citizen to ascertain
his political obligations to his country and ftiithfully and religiously dis-
charge them. He should feel as if the right of suffrage depended upon its
exercise, and never fail in the latter until he is willing to surrender the form-
er. He should actively contribute to the formation and preservation of an
elevated, pure public sentiment, which shall cause peculation, duplicit}',
demagogueism and political corruption to retreat shame-faced from its pres-
ence.

We may not excuse ourselves upon the plea of ignorance of public af-
fairs. Basking in the sunlight of perfect freedom, sitting beneath the shad-
ow of uni,versities, visited daily, yea, almost hourly by the messengers of lit-
erature and news, receiving by the harnessed lightning record of every heart-
throb of the nation, and every shock to any nerve in the great system — wc
;tre not ignorant, we cannot be ignorant; nor can we by such a plea deceive
the world or ourselves, nor lull our conscience to sleeii.

We owe it not alone to the past and future, but to our own age, its migh-
ty progress, its glorious history, its wonderful triumphs, its past promise to
know and do.

There is, sir, to my mind, another duty of gi'eat magnitude which wo
should carefully consider and faithfully discharge, and tlie neglect of which
threatens the most disastrous consequences. I^-efer to the necessit}'- of pro-
tecting ourselves from the contaminating influence of political and moral
skepticism, resulting from the immigration hither and settlement in our

m LOS ANGELES COUNTY

snidst of those who believe in uo government bnt a despotism, and no moral

obligation beyond fealty to a monarch.

^ There are, sir, those who think the expansive power of this government

fla nearly exhausted, and that our invitation to the people of every clime to

I join in our great enterprise and participate in the work of glory our fathers

1 inaugurated should be withdrawn. This is in part true, in part false. Our

* present greatness as a nation is attributable to the mixed elements of worth

which the fascination of our theory has drawn from the world. It has ever

■ heen the better class, viewed govermentally, that has severed the ties of home

and nationality to lay the offering of future life and toil as a tribute to the

theory of a government absolutely free and equal in that it gave every man

an opportunity to make himself the equal of every man.

Tne ingenious Swiss, the practical Englishman, .the polished French-
man, the philosohic German, the gallant Spaniard, the busy, country-loving
Irishman, and the sturdy Swede, brmging the peculiar characteristics of cli-
mate, birth, education, skill and surroundings, and a devoted admi-
ration of our governmental system, have by constant admixture
become the common parents of tlie American of to-day. To all
such the theory is false. To them and their descendants, now and forever,
and to all who come with brain or muscle or skill to enjoy the blessings of
our government because they believe in its principles and love its doctrines,
and desire to contribute to its success, the invitation is irrevocable, and the
doors are torever open. They are brothers in blood, in thought, in aspiration
and inJieritance,

But, sir, there is another class, with regard to which this theory is true.
There is a pagan element, wedded to monarchj^, devoted to idolatry, despis-
ing our institutions, hating our civilization, spitting upon our social system,
laughing at our patriotism, preying upon, our substance, and demoralizing
our people, against whom the gates should be at once and for all time closed.

This grand continent, with its civilization and wondrous development,
its cultivated valleys and happy homes, is not the lap into which China may
spew its criminals and paupers, its invalids and idiots, its surplus moral and
physical leprosy. Now, at once, in a manner respecting all law, and becom-
ing the dignity of a great nation, must they be made to understand, not only
that their presence is unwelcome, but that their further immigration will not
■be tolerated. Let the werld to-day know that none are entitled to permanent
seats in the temple of liberty who are not willing communicants at her altar.
The duties devolving upon an American citizen who would live up to the
fulness of his privilege are manifold, and I may not pause, and in this brief
hour attempt their enumeration. I may not stop to consider how every citi-
zen, directly or indirectly, regardless of vocation or station, is intimately con-
nected with and exercises his influence upon all that is useful, grand and
good. AVe all feel that every triumph of art, of science or of literature which
is achieved under the broad liberality of the American system, is a triumph
in which we are all participants — a glory in which we are all contributors.

But, sir, there is one duty of such paramount importance that I cannot
pass it by. The late unhappy struggle which shook our continent, the years
of blood, the desolated homes, new-made graves, cold, white monuments,
bleaching, uncovered bones, those sad, sad pages of our history, have tended
to bring ft' into bold relief, and it is meet, fitting and proper that upon this day
■we should, around our country's century-christened altar, pledge our faith to
its performance. I refer to the duty of establishing and maintaining a more
exalted standard of American nationality— a more comprehensive brother-
jiood — a more universal love. Have we not been negligent in the cultivation
of that near acquaintance which alone can bind, unite and cement a nation ?
Wooed by different influences, lost in local individuality, we became section-
alized, and allowed those words, disastrous to our peace and destructive of
our ha'rmony-^North, South, East and West— to creep into our vocabulary
and be spoken in our national councils. Yielding to local rather than na-
tional interests, local rather than national traditions, we became alienated,
and our alienation resulted in the bloodiest war of history, threatening the
overthrow of our government and the final downfall of Republican institu-

CENTENNIAL HISTORY. 87

tsons. We may learn from this sorrowful chapter the necessity of more in- \
timate relations, the cultivi.tion of a more national and united aspiration, a ;
feeling of more perfect oneness, that our government is our common mother.
Let us fully realize that our greatness is dependent upon our harmony, and
make sacrifice of all that will imperil our national growth or our national j
liberty.

AB4,«i'i'; in our system of education we must endeavor to inculcate a
broad and statesmanlike intelligence and faith. We must not educate sim-
ply in art, science, mechanism, or social and classic literature, but in the sci-
ence of government, the meaning of our constitution, the importance of its
perpetuity, the concessions and compromises born of charity and incident to
a Democratic form of government. We must teach our children, and learn
ourselves that sectional words or feeling can have no place in the treatment
of national questions. But that the preservation and good of the whole
country must be the keystone of all systems of national policy. Let us, up
on this sacred occasion, visit in fancy the graves of our great statesmen who
have left the record of a life's devotion to America, and all of America.
Who, loving home and their immediate constituents, yet, when the ark of
our safety was imperiled, ever rose to the true dignity of American states-
manship and counseled for all, yea, for all ; and let us return I'obed in the
mantle of their patriotism.

I thank God that to-day, around the birthplace of American liberty, the
brave and war-stained of every State and Territory, burying their differences
and mistakes, leaving under the shadow of the laurel and the willow their
sorrows and their dead, are marching hand in hand, with one heart, one
hope, one flag and one destiny.

Sir. the day might be spent in discussing the duties which its memories
bring, but I forbear. I have endeavored to speak of the more important
ones and avoid the pollution of an hour so sacred by a display of rhetoric or
idle words. And if, when the sun, kissing the night and sinking to rest upon
its bosom, lulled by the murmuring waves of our own mighty ocean, shall
■close the history of this day, we shall have been drawn in any one respect
nearer tlie fountain of political truth, or been impelled to more firmly re-
solve to do our own duty and our whole duty as citizens, then our meeting
and celebration will not have been in vain.

^iiilir, we are now a great people, standing at the head of the governments
of the world. Our navy floats in every water; in all progress that character-
izes civilization we bow to none. In all that tends to make a nation great,
■we have made a glorious history. Tuiie^aome of its pages bear the stain of
tears and blood, and evidence of our f;ollies finds a place upon the record,
yet it is grand as human record ever has been, and if we profit by the lessons
our follies have taught us, devote our lives and intelligence to the establish-
ment of a higher nationaltity, a broader patriotism, a more self-sacrificing
devotion to our common country, when, in another century, our children's
-children shall meet to celebrate our governmental birth, America shall be
the pride and boast of the free,. the Queen of the earth.

And when, upon the last day, before the great Founder and Ruler of all
■gavernments, the nations of the earth are summoned to bring the record of
their stewardship— when England shall come with ofi'erings of manufactures,
Jier commerce and her proud statesmanship; France, with her centuries of
Tcfinement; her proud achievements in letters, wit, thought and science;
Spain with her conquests and song; Germany with her broad philosophy,
grand poetry and wondrous learning; Italy with her ages of music and art;
America, robed in equal rights, radiant with universal love and liberty, shall
approach the throne Divme, and depositing as her offering the trophies Of
peace and the benedictions of mankind, shall be crowned with the approval
of the Everlasting God !

At the conclusion of Mr. Eastman's magnificent effort, which was
listened to with rapt attention throughout, the audience burst out in a roar
of enthusiastic applause.

After Mr. Eastman, the President of the Day introduced Mr. Moreuhaut,
)the venerable French Consul of Los Angeles, who delivered, in a very low

}

88 ^ LOS ANGELES COUNTY

tone, however, some appropriate remarks in reference to the Revolutionary
era of our country and the distinguisned part France took with us in our
infant struggle.

Rev. Mr. Edelman was then introduced, and delivered the benediction,
wliich closed the exercises.

ISrOTE-

The heading of Chapter I. .should read to Januaiy, 1847, instead ot
August, 1846.

Chapter I. was prepared by J. J. WARNER.
Chapter II. by BENJAMIN HAYES.
Chapter III. by Doctor J. P. WIDNEY.

[?S^ ■-■■"■■■ '■ ■ ■■■■ " ■ ''^^<'5<

AN ?

HISTORICAL SKETCH

OF

LOS ANGELES COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA.

From the Spanish occupancy, by the Founding of the Mission San Gabriel
Archangel, September 8, 1771, to July 4, 1876.

Published by

LOUIS LEWI^ & Co.,

]^0. 14 ^PRING ^TREET.
187"6.

g^^^ ^ n^^^^

Mirror Printing, Ruling and Binding House, Los Angeles, Cal.